Where fore art thou, Jack?
by MiSSZ-SPARR0W
Summary: After a voluntary seperation of nearly seven years, Jack finds an old friend named Juliet. But when Jack finds out he and Juliet have more ties than he knows, will both their lives be put in jeopardy?
1. Of Rum and Old Friends

Disclaimer: Sadly... I don't own anybody from POTC, or the Deppster. ;] So, previously established characters, like our lovely Jackaroo, are not created or credited to me.. BUT I do take credit for my OC's!! So there you have it, keep that lovely little must-have in mind as you read my story... And it's my first, so please no flames! Thanks!!  
  
Chapter 1: Of Rum and Old Friends  
  
"We're devils and black sheep, really bad eggs, drink up me 'earties yo ho..." Jack sat in his room, leaning his desk chair back and nearly toppling over as he took a hearty swig of rum. He wasn't quite drunk at this point, (by his standards) just enough to be his usual self. There was a soft knock on his door, and he turned toward it, already knowing who stood on the other side, just by the manner of the knock. "Yo ho!" Jack shouted madly, hoping to get a reaction out of the knocker.  
  
"Cap'n?" the knocker called. He sounded unsure of himself. "It's Gibbs. Are ye decent?" Gibbs had an annoying habit of assuming people were doing things that he should not see when they were behind closed doors. He had picked this up after being aboard with Jack for a while, often finding him in compromising positions with various ladies of Tortuga if he had forgotten to knock. Jack found Gibbs' habit quite amusing, seeing as how being found in questionable company never much bothered him. He pushed his chair out from the desk with a grin, and swayed towards his cabin door.  
  
"Aye, Gibbs? How are things on deck?"  
  
"Ah, they're right fine, Cap'n. Just wanted to inform ye we're comin' up on Port Royal. Where should we be droppin' anchor?"  
  
Jack grinned. "How time flies when you're drinkin' rum..." he remarked to himself. He looked back at Gibbs. "Alright, Gibbs, let's go 'round the back of the island. I can't wait to see Ol' Norrington, but I don't think it would be in me girl's best interest to drop anchor in plain view."  
  
"Your girl?! What girl? Jack, you know it's bad luck to have women aboard, even Ana Maria thinks so..." Gibbs peered anxiously over Jack's shoulder, squinting so he could make out the objects in the corners of Jack's room. Jack laughed.  
  
"The Pearl, mate! Ahh, me only true love." Jack looked around and smiled. Ever since he got his ship back, he just could not get enough of it. He stepped around Gibbs and climbed the short flight of stairs to the deck. Jack swaggered in his usual manner towards the helm, and took his rightful place at the wheel.  
  
"Smartly, now, men! We make berth 'round the back." He shouted to the bustling crew.  
  
After about fifteen more minutes, they had anchored the ship in a small inlet of the island, where it would not easily be spotted. Jack waited for the crew to assemble on deck.  
  
"Alright ye scabbard dogs," he said with a mischievous grin, "Yer free to travel 'round Port Royal as you wish, but mind your behavior, we're not in Tortuga, mates! So watch yourselves or you might end up dancing with Jack Ketch, and that would not be in yer best interest." He finished and looked around at his crew. "Off with ya, now! Go!" he yelled as they eagerly left the boat. It had been months since their feet had touched dry land, and they were all very content to be in Port Royal. They could visit Miss Elizabeth and Will, after all.  
  
"Gibbs!" Jack shouted, motioning his first mate over to him. "I'm off to see the Turners. I think the Pearl will be safe here, so we may spend the night carousing the pubs at ease! Savvy?" Not that there are many pubs worthy of me in this town, Jack thought as he waited for Gibbs' response.  
  
"Aye, Cap'n, if that's what ye think is best." Gibbs looked uneasy. "You know, Jack," he said earnestly, "I think I'll stay here and guard the ship. Wouldn't want Norrington to come upon her uninvited, would we?"  
  
"I suppose I'll have to manage all by me onesies then," said Jack, turning on his heel and swaying away towards the main road.  
  
After about ten minutes of walking, he had received countless stares, two slaps across the face, and an enthusiastic handshake from a man he didn't know, but who apparently knew him. He was nearing Will and Elizabeth's home, and he was happily anticipating seeing the little whelp. Jack was even considering inviting them to sail with him for a few weeks, but he decided that that decision could be decided upon later on, as was typical of him.  
  
The Turners were not expecting him, and the notion of surprising them gave Jack an incredibly childish excitement. He arrived at their home, and knocked loudly on their large wooden door, grinning all the while. The door swung open, and Will stood behind it, looking quite peeved at the knocker. But when it registered just who stood upon his doorstep, his eyes grew wide as he embraced his old friend.  
  
"Jack! What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you for months... Is everything okay? What's going on?" Will regarded Jack critically, finally raising his eyebrows and motioning for a response.  
  
"Will you bloody be patient? I'll explain in due time. Now where's Elizabeth?" he asked, changing the subject. "I'm dying to see her." Jack chuckled and winked amusingly. Just then, Elizabeth poked her head over the railing on the steps. Her hair was rather tousled, and she looked as if she had just rolled out of bed, but she was beautiful nonetheless.  
  
"JACK!" she cried, gathering her dress up so she could more easily run down the stairs. She reached the bottom and practically flew into his arms.  
  
"Ah, here ye are, Liz," he said, fondly embracing her. He looked over her shoulder and raised his eyebrows suggestively at Will, and mouthed, "I hope I wasn't interrupting anything..." Will grinned sheepishly and turned a rather bright shade of pink, but then hastily glared at Jack. Jack broke the hug and regarded the two of them mock-seriously.  
  
"Now, you two know that if ye don't yet want children..."  
  
"JACK!" Will yelled, laughingly turning his friend and pushing him towards the door. He swung the door open again and shoved Jack outside, then turned to his wife. "Bloody pirate..." he mumbled to her with a grin as he turned and followed Jack.  
  
"We'll be back 'round twelve, Lizzy!" Jack called back to her as he sauntered down the street towards the pub, with Will in tow. Elizabeth nodded sarcastically and stepped back inside, shutting the door behind her. She leaned back against it and shook her head, sighing.  
  
"Bloody pirate."  
  
[A/N] Woohoo! *wipes sweatdrop off forehead and sighs* Well I think that was a nice beginning to the story.. Hopefully more chapters will be coming up soon... I have a general idea for my plot but I still have to fine tune it... I just can't wait to bring my main female character in!! =) Well thanks for reading, please review and let me know how it was! All constructive criticism is welcome, just please remember it's my first ever fanfic so go easy on me hehe.. Oh, and on one last note, sorry if Jack doesn't seem too Jackalicious yet, I need to watch the movie again to get more into his character... Thanks! 


	2. A Proposition Over Drinks

Disclaimer: I don't own anyone. Especially Jack. Which really sucks. The Deppster R0CKS!! Go see Secret Window!!! Anyway, I don't take credit for any previous POTC characters, only my own lovely little creations. (One of whom you'll meet in this chapter!)  
  
Chapter 2: A Proposition Over Drinks  
  
Jack and Will walked briskly to the pub, and Jack hurried Will inside, as though he was trying not to be seen. This wasn't typical of Jack, as he usually had no problem becoming a public spectacle, and it concerned Will. Jack pulled Will to a shadowy corner of the pub and seated himself at a small table.  
  
"Are you planning to stand the entire night?" Jack looked up at Will, who was standing to the side of the table, glancing around warily. He raised his eyebrows questioningly, but then pulled out the chair opposite Jack and sat down quickly. He leaned across the table towards Jack.  
  
"Who are you hiding from?" he inquired as quietly as possible.  
  
"I'm not hiding. I am simply trying not to be seen by the person I would be hiding from, if I were hiding, which I'm not," he replied, smirking.  
  
Will raised an eyebrow. "And who would that be?"  
  
"I'm bloody getting to it!! A little patience is required on your part, me little whelp. I'm going to get us some rum. Can't talk properly unless we splice the mainbrace, aye?" Jack said as he stood up. He looked down at Will and murmured, "Stay here. And I beg you, Will, don't do anything stupid." Jack sauntered to the bar, looked around shiftily, and leaned over the counter, grabbing two bottles of his favorite Caribbean rum. He hurried back to the table and handed Will the smaller bottle of the two.  
  
"Now, on to business," Jack said, glancing towards a corner on the other side of the place. "Ah, I think I've spotted her. Now don't draw attention to us," he said, tilting his hat down to shadow his eyes. "Alright, this lass I'm attempting not to be seen by, if she is who I believe, sits in the corner opposite us. No, no!-- don't turn and look just yet," he said, catching Will by the shoulder. "You'll be wanting to hear about her first, savvy?"  
  
Will nodded impatiently and Jack began.  
  
..................................  
  
"'Twas about seven years ago, that I met Juliet. She was just a young lass then, only 'bout seventeen years old. Her family was poor, and they were all out of jobs. They were living in Tortuga at the time, so you can guess the business Juliet found herself forced into. So, one night I stumbled upon her in me favorite bar. A lovely thing to look at, she was, but I assumed she would be like any other delectable little strumpet in the place. And yet I was drawn to her, you see. I wasn't sure why at the time, but I later realized there were many reasons for it." A whimsical look played across Jack's face, and he glanced dreamily towards the corner where he believed this girl to be. Will cleared his throat uncomfortably, unsure of where this tale was leading, but wanting to hear it nonetheless. Jack turned and looked at Will then began to speak again.  
  
"Right, where was I? Ah, yes, our first meeting. She was sitting in a corner alone, the same way she is now, and I couldn't help but approach her. She was a very angry looking girl, so I figured she would be a challenge. But you know I like challenges, mate," Jack said with a broad smile. "So, I asked her if the other seat at her table was spoken for, expecting a simple answer of yes or no . . .  
  
....FLASHBACK.... (to the bar in Tortuga 7 years ago)  
  
"'Ello, darling, is this seat taken?" Jack inquired coquetteishly. He was rather drunk at the time, which certainly didn't help Juliet's reaction.  
  
"Seventy-five shillings for the night," she said dismally, boldly staring straight into Jack's deep brown eyes. A scowl was set upon her face and her eyes were narrowed.  
  
"Forgive me, m'lady, but that is not my intent. Though I certainly wouldn't mind some time in the future," Jack replied, winking arrogantly.  
  
"What is your intent, then, pirate?" She shot the word "pirate" at him so harshly, he was taken aback for a moment.  
  
"Aye, I am a pirate," he said darkly. But then, a smile spread across his face. "A corsair! One of the Brethren of the Coast!" he proclaimed proudly.  
  
This man is obviously drunk, Juliet thought to herself, though she couldn't help but smile at his happiness. Jack stooped down to her so that they were at eye level.  
  
"My intent," he whispered slowly in her ear, "Was to learn your name, because you look oddly familiar to me."  
  
"Oh, really?" she replied sarcastically, raising an eyebrow. "Well, supply me with you name, and we'll see about mine."  
  
"Fair enough," Jack spoke, with a small nod. "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?" He grinned.  
  
"Jack Sparrow?" she repeated questioningly.  
  
"Captain, love. Captain Jack Sparrow." He eyed her intently, unable to predict her next move. This was unusual for him, since he almost always knew what women were about to do. Jack knew she would be a challenge.  
  
"Well, Captain Sparrow, it's very nice to make your acquaintance," she said, reaching out her hand. Jack took it in his, and gently pulled it towards him with the intent of kissing it, when he felt her other hand catch his wrist tightly. She twisted the hand that belonged to the fingers Jack had clasped between his so that their palms were touching and she could fully restrain his hand. She pushed his right sleeve up to his elbow, in a very similar manner as Commodore Norrington would do to him in a later year. She eyed the "P" intently, and then her eyes settled on the tattoo of a sparrow in flight.  
  
"Well, Captain, are the stories true?" she asked, her eyes slowly traveling to Jack's. She got the feeling, even though she had just met him that she could drown in those eyes. They were the deepest brown she had ever seen. For a moment they sat, with their hands still clasped together, as if in a trance. The commotion in the bar seemed to fade from their minds, and they were the only two left there. Jack blinked, breaking their silent train of thoughts. He smiled slyly.  
  
"Depends on what stories you've heard." Jack's eyes danced into hers and he gave her a wry smile. "Now that you know my name, I should like to be hearin' yours."  
  
She smirked playfully, obviously enjoying the fact that she was frustrating such a famous pirate.  
  
"Oh dear, it's getting quite late," she said, glancing out the window. "I've got to get going. It was lovely talking to you, Captain." She stood up quickly, and walked gracefully to the door of the bar.  
  
"WAIT!" Jack shouted after her. She turned slowly, a coy smile playing at the edge of her lips. "Your name...?" he asked quietly.  
  
She looked up at him and tilted her head, then turned and opened the door to go outside. Just when Jack thought she would leave, she turned her head, and spoke softly.  
  
"Juliet."  
  
[A/N]: I love this chapter! lol.. Juliet will surely develop into a fantabulous character.. ;] We'll go back to he present time in the 3rd chapter, with Jack and Will in the pub etc.. and you'll see what will happen with Juliet.. (as soon as I decide) Well thanks so much for reading!! All reviews are appreciated!! =) 


	3. Preferably Drunk

Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Jack or his comrades. Quite depressing. Enough said.  
  
Chapter 3: Preferably with Drinks (back to the present)  
  
Juliet sat at a corner table, the only one she ever graced at that miscreant-infested pub. Though she now resided in Port Royal, her fortunes had once again slipped to those that she had faced in Tortuga nearly seven years ago. She was now twenty-three, and found herself utterly bound to the undesirable world of courtesans. She did as much as she could to find a stable job, yet every profession available to the lower class of Port Royal had wavering opportunities. Juliet had once again strayed into harlotry. She had no other choice. She had begun to lose all hope, and had contemplated many ways to escape her misery. She was very close to pursuing them, too, until that night.  
  
As Jack opened the door to the pub, a cool breeze shot across the room, gently caressing Juliet's face. She looked up to see a vaguely familiar man entering, accompanied by another, though younger, man. She didn't recognize the second one, but she knew there was something about the sway of the first man's step that was discernible in her mind. She watched him closely for a while, observing his gestures as he seated himself and spoke to the man who accompanied him. She followed his form with her eyes as he moved to the bar, looked around shiftily, and leaned over, grabbing two bottles of clearly distinguishable Caribbean rum. Then it hit her, accompanied by an unbelievable rush of hope for a change in her tarnished existence. This was Captain Jack Sparrow.  
  
Jack's still form, leaned back casually in his chair, was silhouetted against the ember glow induced by the lantern on his table. His tricorner hat rested carelessly atop the gnarled mass of black braids and beads that peeked out around his faded red bandana. He looked up, meeting Will's incredulous gaze. Also evident, however, was a smirk attempting to surface itself over Will's skeptical eyes and furrowed brow. A smirk that was being desperately, yet unsuccessfully, held in by its proprietor.  
  
"So," Will finally broke the uncomfortable silence, "the nomadic heart of Jack Sparrow was once captured by a teenager? A lass of seventeen?" Will's eyes laughed into Jack's as he humorously shook his head. "I never knew you could be claimed by anyone, much less a child." Will raised his eyebrows.  
  
"Belay your assumptions, mate, you're gettin' ahead of yourself." Jack looked down, slightly shaking his head. "Things did not work out with Juliet, although we sailed together for almost two years. However, certain circumstances caused me to force her to leave the crew, and I ended up dropping her here, which proved to be a mistake. If I had kept her with me, Barbossa's mutiny would not have gone over so easily. It was only a month and a half after I left her here that I lost the Pearl. I haven't had as good a first mate as her since I've had it back, and I wouldn't mind speaking with her about rejoining while I'm here. However, I have two choices as to how to approach her. I could either speak to her now, although that would be accompanied with a large risk of a flogging to my face." Jack looked up at Will with a grin. "Or, I could wait for the opportune moment, preferably a moment when she's already had a good many drinks, so I could have more control over the situation. I quite prefer the latter, so I would be very much obliged if you would STOP STARING AT HER LIKE A BLOODY IDIOT! ... Savvy?" he finished quietly, glaring and smiling sarcastically at Will.  
  
Jack and Juliet had very similar, yet sometimes opposite ways of thinking. Juliet smiled to herself as she watched Jack's companion look her way. She had two choices. She could leave her table and approach Jack, but that was accompanied with the risk of being brutally told off and causing a scene. Or she could wait for the opportune moment, preferably when Jack has already had a good many drinks, so that she could have more control over the situation. The latter was the obvious choice, it was much less risky. Yet risk always enticed Juliet. Screw waiting, this WAS the opportune moment.  
  
"Right then," said Will ardently. "What's your plan?"  
  
"Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?" Jack asked, tilting his head and narrowing his kohl-lined eyes.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Fine. I shall tell you my plan of action , IF you get up immediately and we quickly walk out the door, because the person this plan revolves around is coming this way rather quickly, and since I haven't yet told you the plan, you don't know what it is, nor do you know how to behave around said strumpet. Do we have an accord?" Jack hastily pulled Will out of his seat and sped towards the door, not bothering to wait for his response.  
  
[A/N] Hehe.. I like this chapter bunches.. sorry if it seems a little short, but chapter 4 is coming VERY soon!! Please review! And a million thanks to Kizume Bass, my very fave fanfic author, for giving me my first review!! =) make sure u go read her stories they're awesome!! All reviews are appreciated!!! 


	4. Blackouts and Daggers

Disclaimer: I don't own Jack, nor, unfortunately, will I ever.. so can I stop with the disclaimers now? lol probably not.. i'll continue.. so I don't own Jack, Will, or Elizabeth, but Juliet is my own creation.. along with misc.others you'll meet in this chapter.  
  
WARNING: Strong language and some violence in this chapter... (See, there was a reason to rate it PG13. ;] )  
  
Chapter 4: Blackouts and Daggers  
  
Juliet smirked as she watched Jack lift his accomplice from his chair and hurry out the door. He had obviously noticed her progressing toward their table, and, being the infamous and stalwart Captain that he was, had fled. What man who values his life would not flee when pursued by a woman such as Juliet?  
  
This should be fun, she thought as she hurriedly followed suit and disappeared from the tavern. As Juliet stepped out the front door, she gazed down the street ahead of her and saw the silhouette of a man swaying away towards the sunset. Obviously it was Sparrow.  
  
"Jack, my dear, you seem to have lost your touch," Juliet said quietly to herself as she descended the short steps from the door.  
  
"JAA-" she had begun to cry 'Jack!' but a hand was clamped over her mouth before she had time to finish. Her eyes widened as the grip around her jaw tightened and pulled her backwards. She was pressed up against the abdomen of a large man, who smelled like a mix of bad wine and sweat. It was disgusting, but she knew that smell. She could never forget it. She quickly turned around to look at the man restraining her.  
  
"Conway," she growled, teeth clenched, narrowing her eyes and giving the man a well-deserved death stare.  
  
"Aye," he snarled in reply, before hitting her hard across the face with his fist. She couldn't help but scream as his fist made contact with her face. It was more out of surprise than pain, really. She could accept pain. But she would not accept being beaten in the streets by a man she despised more than anyone she had ever met.  
  
"I saw you watching him," he hissed, pulling her off the ground a putting his face very close to hers. "I saw you staring at Sparrow. You were going after him. I knew you would leave me if he ever came back here. Well, now," he said, tilting her chin up so he could look into her cold, bitter eyes, "I couldn't have that, could I?" He hit her across the other side of her face and threw her to the ground.  
  
Juliet pulled herself up and reached her hand into the inside of her dress. Conway looked at her and raised his eyebrows, as if expecting something from her. Needless to say, his expression changed when she pulled a dagger from her bodice.  
  
"I don't belong to you, you revolting bastard!" she screamed, holding the knife up in the air. "I never have and I never will! I would sooner die than give myself to you!"  
  
"You stupid whore!" he shouted at her, widening the circle between them. "You do belong to me, you have no one else. No one cares about you, you filth! And Sparrow?!? Sparrow would bed you and leave you behind! You're nothing but a strumpet, you don't seriously believe you have a chance with a PIRATE?!"  
  
She drew back, not realizing that she had lowered her blade and let down her guard.  
  
"That's not true you ignorant asshole!" she screamed, "Jack would never do that to me or anyone else!" Although she knew this wasn't completely true, she felt obligated to defend him. Without a response, Juliet was swiftly struck again over the head, falling to the ground, but not having the strength to get up this time. She lifted her head, and the world seemed to be spinning around her. Her ears were ringing, but she heard raised voices, and could tell they originated somewhere near her.  
  
The next moment, she felt a burning pain in her left shoulder, and all she could see was darkness as she lost control of her body and fell to the ground. Moments later, brimming on the edge of unconsciousness, she felt the sensation of a strong touch and being lifted upwards, but remembered only blackness thereafter.  
  
.......................................  
  
"Jack, did you hear something?" Will asked, turning around to peer back towards the pub. His gaze rested upon a woman standing across from a man and holding a dagger out in front of her. His eyes broadened in worry as what he was staring at registered. For a moment he stood silent.  
  
"I can't honestly say I did, mate," Jack replied, walking on down the rode and taking no notice to the fact that Will was not at his side.  
  
"JACK!" Will called. Jack turned to his left, expecting to see Will, then turned to where Will's voice seemed to come from. There he saw Will, pointing towards the pub. Jack followed his eye line down the street, and his heart skipped a beat at what he saw...  
  
Jack and Will ran to the circle of people crowded around the pub and pushed their way through. Jack saw Juliet lying on the ground, the sides of her face dripping crimson streams of blood. Her attacker stood near her, holding a dagger above her paralyzed body. Jack spoke up, as he walked swiftly to the man.  
  
"Now, now, mate. That's not very nice," he said before hooking the man squarely on the jaw. Conway staggered and he stared back at Jack before turning and jumping towards Juliet. Jack jumped on top of him and kicked him multiple times in the ribs. The dagger lay on the ground beside him, and Jack reached for it, hoping to finish the man off, but he wasn't quick enough. Conway's fingers closed around the handle of the blade and he swung it to the side, deeply piercing Juliet's shoulder.  
  
Jack heard her make a soft, painful noise, and watched helplessly as she fell swiftly to the ground. His gaze turned back to Conway.  
  
"You'll pay for that you bloody bastard." Jack growled and briskly pulled out his cutlass, stabbing the man in the leg before he had time to defend himself. It was enough to put him in severe pain, but not enough to kill him, unless the wound got badly infected, which Jack hoped it would. The man yelled in pain and collapsed, writhing on the ground. Jack and Will rushed to Juliet's side. Jack gently removed the blade from Juliet's shoulder. His expression was pained as he watched the flowing blood cover the back of her dress. He reached down and ripped a long piece of fabric off of his sashay and carefully wrapped it around her shoulder. Jack cautiously turned her over and placed his fingers upon her neck with ease, checking for a pulse, but his face appeared panicked.  
  
"She's alive," he said roughly, "but barely. We need to get back to your house Will, and we need not be noticed." Will nodded, and Jack hoisted Juliet off the ground, carrying her with enormous care. He stared at her face, angered by the growing dark patches on her cheeks and eyes. He hadn't seen Juliet in years, but he had not wanted to be reunited under circumstances such as these. Albeit Jack was worried about her, he grimaced as he thought about what her reaction would be when she came to. Knowing her, she would not be very happy. She hated to be saved, especially by Jack. Suddenly, a small thought, or perhaps it was a memory, came to him, and he gently pulled up the sleeve covering her right forearm. Jack smiled at the small J-shaped scar near Juliet's wrist, and he then realized just how much he had missed her.  
  
..........................................  
  
Fadingimage: thanks so much for reviewing! I'm glad you like the story so far.. I really like the fact that Jack already knows her too, cuz it's gonna present some interesting scenes and flashbacks.. ;] thanks again! *hugs*  
  
[A/N] Can you say "awwwwwwww?" I love Sensitive Jack scenes lol.. and Courageous Jack... and ... yeah I pretty much just love Jack in general... hehe ;] Please review!! I'll love you bunches and I will try to review your story! =) 


	5. A Chat with Jack

Disclaimer: ok this is the last disclaimer that I'm gonna put... I still do not own Jack, nor unfortunately, will I ever, unless I get sucked into my fanfic like all those lucky fangirls do in their stories ;] ...  
  
A/N: Yayyy Heroic Jack has rescued Juliet and had a little moment with... himself? Lol not to worry tho, Juliet will develop into a very strong character.. and when will you find out what the J-shaped scar is from?? Hmmmm.. i dunno yet so give it a guess in a review.. i'd love to know people's predictions lol.. but i already know.. hehe.. Well enjoy and please R&R!!  
  
A/N 2: If you review, I'll let you see the Johnny/Jack shrine ^_^ its so loverly =)  
  
DeynaIanBloom: thanks for reviewing! I'm trying to keep it interesting, especially in this chapter, since it could fall into a kinda typical Jack- saves-girl setting, which I definitely don't want for Juliet... Hopefully it didn't come out that way *crosses fingers* let me know what you think!  
  
Chapter 5: A Chat with Jack  
  
Juliet's mind was beginning to awaken inside her head, and she showed signs of consciousness in her physical form as well. She let out a heavy breath, and cautiously opened her eyes. Not remembering the night before very well, she quickly shut them, after a brief glimpse of her surroundings, and realized she had no idea where she was. Had she been drinking, and gone off with some vulgar man? No... she could hold her liquor better than anyone she knew... Had she been knocked out and kidnapped? No... that was definitely not it. She would never allow it. But this was not her bed. These were not her old, hole-covered sheets. These were soft, luxurious cotton blankets. She moved her fingers slowly, eyes still tightly shut, caressing the smooth fabric.  
  
Then she realized there were soft voices coming from the other end of the room she was in. Juliet slowly opened one eye, and scanned the dimly lit room without moving her head. As she laid eyes upon him, all memory of the previous night came rushing back to her. She observed two shadows sitting near a fire, whispering fervently, and obviously in deep conversation. That same silhouette she had observed in the pub sat before her, yet this time, his trademark hat was not on his head, but set on the small table near her bed.  
  
Realizing that Jack Sparrow had come to her aid the night before, she abruptly became quite displeased with herself for needing his help. She hated to appear weak. She had spent the better part of two years proving to Jack that she was strong and independent, and yet somehow she always seemed to need him to save her. Even if she didn't want him to, he always did.  
  
Juliet became very annoyed at that moment and without hesitation, she spoke up, startling Jack and Will.  
  
"I didn't need you to rescue me Sparrow." She shot up from her resting position, with the aim to sit up straight, but immediately regretted it. She felt a sharp burning in her shoulder and collapsed back onto the pillow, face contorted in pain. Seeing this, Jack smiled knowingly, and arose from his chair.  
  
"I beg to differ, luv," he replied nonchalantly as he walked over to her bedside. "And it's Captain, Captain Sparrow." Jack turned the chair that was placed next to her bed so that it faced her, and sat down on it. He placed his elbows upon his knees, hands dangling carelessly, and leaned forward slightly, grinning at her. Then he turned his head towards Will. "You wouldn't mind leaving us for a few moments, would you, Will?"  
  
"Not at all," Will replied, and he swiftly rose from his chair and opened the door, giving Juliet a small nod before exiting the room. As the door shut, Jack turned back to Juliet, tilting his head slightly.  
  
Juliet didn't like the position she was in, and made to get up again. However, a hand was suddenly lightly but firmly pressed just below her neck, restraining her.  
  
"I wouldn't be trying to get up if I were you, darling. It'll only make it hurt more." Jack lifted his hand off of her chest and brought it back to his other. "Speaking of pain, that bandage needs to be changed, luv, and your wound cleaned. Besides, you and I need to have a little chat." Jack spoke with a hint of sarcasm, but his expression was gentle. He had predicted this reaction, so it was not a shock to him. Juliet merely glared at him.  
  
"I don't need your help, Captain. I know how to change my bandages on my own." Once again Juliet tried to sit up, and once again she winced in pain. Jack shook his head, grinning slightly, and laid a hand on each of her shoulders, gently turning her so that she faced him.  
  
"Once again, Jules, I must disagree," he laughed, calling her by this old term of endearment. Juliet's shoulders drooped slightly, and she let out a defeated sigh. She knew there was no way for her to win this battle. She let Jack ease her back to the pillow and turn her on her side. It only then occured to her that she was not fully clothed. Clad only in her underdress, (A/N: Think Elizabeth's outfit on the island w/ Jack...) she pulled the blankets up, attempting to her cover herself, only to have Jack replace them where they were.  
  
"I won't be able to clean the wound if it's covered up, savvy?"  
  
"No, Captain, I am NOT savvy," Juliet hissed as she whipped her head around to face him. "Meaning I do NOT agree, so you will unhand me this instant!" Juliet fought against the hands that firmly but gently restrained her from leaving the bed.  
  
"I'm sorry, luv, but I am disinclined to acquiesce to your request. Meaning NO." Jack smiled as he imitated Elizabeth's common phrase, and shook his head at a struggling Juliet. "It's for your own good, Jules, and you know it. So hold still."  
  
Jack released her and was happy to see that she did lie still, and he carefully unbuttoned the back of her dress, and slid the right side over, revealing only what he needed to to clean the wound. She felt Jack's fingers softly brush her cut, albeit it caused her no pain, only embarrassment. She knew in her heart that she HAD needed Jack to save her, no matter how much she could deny it, and that he willingly risked his life to keep her safe. She was embarrassed for behaving so rudely toward him, yet she was far too proud to admit she was wrong. Especially not to Jack Sparrow.  
  
Juliet was glad Jack couldn't see her face at that moment, because she was blushing furiously. However, it was not the unbuttoning or her screaming conscience that bothered her, it was the fact that this was the first time in months, perhaps years, that her dress had been unbuttoned by someone other than herself, who was not interested in the services she was forced to offer. She knew Jack would do nothing that she would object to. He had always been that way, very different from most pirates. Jack respected women, and didn't treat them as if they were his playthings. It was probably the reason so many women were attracted to him in the first place.  
  
A quiet whimper escaped Juliet as she heard Jack wringing out a rag that had been soaked in rum. She could handle pain quite well, but she certainly did not enjoy it.  
  
Jack turned and examined the wound, frowning angrily as he looked at it and the bruises that surrounded it. He wondered if all those bruises came from last night's fight, or if they had been previously installed. He planned to find out, but first to clean the wound, before he missed his opportune moment.  
  
It was a fairly shallow cut, since her attacker had been fairly drunk and already badly beaten up at the time that he gave it to her. There was less risk of infection because of its small depth, which gave Juliet a better chance of having the wound heal completely.  
  
Jack took the damp, rum-soaked, rag and pressed it delicately to the wound. Juliet gasped as a stinging sensation ran through her shoulder, bringing silent tears of pain to her eyes. Jack felt her sharp intake of breath, and placed his free hand on her other shoulder, attempting to steady her.  
  
"Jack," Juliet gasped between waves of pain. "How exactly-- owwww... What happened to give me this--- ahhh.. this wound??" She attempted to steady her breathing on her own, slowly becoming more accustomed to the searing pain in her shoulder.  
  
"Well, luv, I can tell you a bit, but you'll need to fill me in on the rest, as I don't know how the fight began, just how it ended." Jack quickly recapped for her at what point he had come to her aid, being sure to emphasize his choice of words for Mr. Conway. A few moments later, he finished. "And you've been either asleep or unconscious since we arrived back here. Savvy?"  
  
Juliet's eyes were cast down towards the blanket, her gaze was troubled and her lips pursed. Her mind was racing as she weighed her possible excuses for the fight. She knew Jack would be able to tell if she was lying. He had always been able to see right through her. And, therefore, she decided telling him the truth was the only way to go, unless she could get out of it completely.  
  
"Now that I've supplied you with my half of the story, I'd like for you to supply me with yours." Jack had finished cleaning her wound and was beginning to re-bandage it, but he stopped for a moment and eyed the back of Juliet's head, since he could not see her face, and waited for a response.  
  
"It's really none of your damn business, Sparrow," she shot, hoping she would stop his inquiries.  
  
"Aye but it is, luv. Now that I've become involved, it's my right to know about the situation." Juliet turned her face into the pillow even more, her heartbeat steadily increasing. She didn't want him to know. Although, she had a strong feeling he had already guessed, and just wanted to hear it from her.  
  
"Come on, Jules, talk to ol' Jack. I know you didn't acquire all those bruises and cuts just last night. Tell me what happened since the last time I saw you." Jack leaned farther towards her and placed his hand encouragingly on her upper arm. "Tell me," he murmured quietly.  
  
Juliet slowly withdrew her face from the pillow, took a deep breath and turned to face Jack. "Have you no idea, Jack? Did you not know when you left me here that you condemned me to return to the profession you've already removed me from once? You know perfectly well where these bruises and cuts are from. They're from the same kind of people who gave me them seven years ago. I've completely ruined any chance I might have had of escaping it."  
  
She shook her head and looked down, away from Jack. How dare he? she thought. He knew what he was doing. He was making her weak again, bringing her to her knees only to once more hasten to her rescue. And yet through her anger, she knew how much she owed him.  
  
Jack sat silent for a moment, observing Juliet through narrowed eyes. He then picked up the bandage again, wordlessly finishing his job, and re- buttoning her dress. She sat silently awaiting his withdrawal from the room. Then, he stood, but instead of turning to go, offered her his hand.  
  
"It's settled, then," he said matter-of-factly. Juliet inclined her head and met his gaze. She raised her eyebrows curiously, and inquired as to his meaning.  
  
"Jack, what are you talking about?" Without responding, Jack took her hand in his, and wrapped his remaining hand around her waist, pulling her upwards into a standing position. Even in the dim light, his gold teeth sparkled as he grinned.  
  
"We'd best be hurrying, luv. The Pearl is weighing anchor at sunrise."  
  
A/N: FINALLY!! It took me so long to write this chapter, and it's probably my longest and best yet... A question for reviewers.. is my character a Mary Sue? And what IS a Mary Sue?? I have no idea but they seem to be looked upon kind of negatively, so any constructive criticism is welcome.. Do you think I keep Jack in character? I try... well, let me know what you think so far!! Please review! 


	6. Have You Not Heard the Stories?

Disclaimer: see previous  
  
A/N: oh my my my.. sorry for the incredibly long wait.. what have I been doing with myself lately? Ahhh, procrastination. =] I'm beginning to form the twist/strange idea in my head for this story.. methinks it be very original .. or at least I haven't seen any fics with a twist quite like it =) *mwahahaha* well, thanks for checking out the story, preety please, review? ;-)  
  
Chapter 6: Have You Not Heard the Stories?  
  
With a mix of confusion, hope, and utter bewilderment, Juliet accepted Jack's hand, but narrowed her eyes.  
  
"What's the catch, Sparrow?" she asked as his fingers closed around her palm. "Where's the profit in it for you?" Jack grinned mysteriously, and winked before responding.  
  
"Why do you always assume there's a catch, luv?" he questioned sarcastically. "But if you must know, I DO see a profit in it for me. One that I cannot reveal at the moment."  
  
"Fine," she countered, recoiling her hand and standing on her own. "Well, if this has been decided, I suppose I need to pack my things. And I have some things to take care of, Jack. I'll meet you back here in two hours." She briskly walked to the door, promptly opened it and practically flew down the stairs. Jack tailed her, barely able to match her pace. She had reached the front door of the house and was about to leave when he called to her.  
  
"What things?" Jack asked, staring down at Juliet from the steps. His hands tightly grasped the railing and his brow quite furrowed. Juliet smirked, knowing that he was attempting to appear calm, yet was quite aggravated that she had this sudden control.  
  
Juliet smiled and winked, perfectly imitating Jack's arrogant gestures. Her fingers were laced around the doorknob and she turned it, opening the door just enough to let a cold wind blow slide through and shoot at Jack.  
  
"Things that I cannot reveal at the moment." And with that, she descended the steps and was out of sight.  
  
..........................  
  
"WILLIAAAAAM!! WILL!!" Jack stood in the middle of the foyer, his hands entangled in his mass of black hair and beads, and his eyes tightly shut. His expression was rather pained as he opened his eyes and looked towards the door Juliet had just walked out of. Should I go after her? he pondered to himself.  
  
Jack had absolutely no idea where Juliet was off to, seeing as how he didn't know where she made her residence, yet somehow he sensed that she had nothing to pack, and all she would be doing was seeing to her "things." Things which he was certain were quite sinister in nature. Not that he was overcautious with Juliet, just overprotective.  
  
Will rushed downstairs hearing Jack's distressed calls, half expecting to find him with a sword stuck through him. When he set eyes on Jack, his eyebrows shot up and a small laugh escaped him.  
  
"Jack, what's wrong?" Will asked, attempting to conceal his laughter. He had never seen Jack in any other state than his usual I'm-Captain-Jack- Sparrow-savvy? persona. Jack turned to Will, giving him a completely exasperated glare.  
  
"She's gone, mate. I don't know where she's run off to."  
  
"What do you mean she's gone? What did you say to her?" Will quickly sat down near the fireplace and pulled up an extra chair. Jack shook his head, declining the offer of a seat, and began to pace the length of the small living room while Will looked on, confused.  
  
Jack told him about the entire conversation between himself and Juliet, up to her vague excuse and her exiting the house. Will had leaned his elbow on the arm of the chair, resting his chin in his hand. His gaze was cast towards the floor and he was silent for a moment, but then he spoke up.  
  
"To tell you the truth, Jack, I don't see what the problem is. She said she had to pack, which is perfectly understandable, and that she had some things to see to. She's not an idiot, Jack, she can take care of herself."  
  
"Ah, young William, there's a flaw, no, make that many flaws in your thinking. Firstly, she IS a bloody idiot and she CAN'T take care of herself! Did said lady not show us that tonight?" Jack pivoted on his heel as he reached one end of the room and began back towards the other.  
  
"My problem is that it's not safe for her to be here. As soon as Conway comes to, he'll be looking for the both of us, not to mention looking for the Pearl!" At this comment, Will's head rose from his palm.  
  
"Why would he be concerned with your ship?"  
  
Jack looked at Will as if he had three heads, and on top of that was also the most uninformed person he had ever come across.  
  
"Really, Will," he remarked, inclining his head, "have you not heard the stories?"  
  
......................  
  
A/N2: oooh im sorry it took soooo long.. and also, my apologies for the cliffie ;-p hehe.. not to worry, it'll be worth the wait for this tale of Jack's but I promise not this long a wait! Also, apologies for the awfully short chapter, I just wanted to get something up... Well, muchas gracias mes.. ahh.. reviewers? Hehe.. no abla espanol ;] ANYWAY.. thanks for reading ;] please review!!  
  
msblues: yayy long review! Thankies and i'm verrry glad you like the story so far! ;-) I get what you're saying about the POV changes being a little confusing, so I kinda separated the sections.. tell me what you think! =)  
  
peaches: thanks!! Very glad you like my wee little tale ;] keep reading! 


	7. Jack of the Rings

Disclaimer: see previous A/N: Sorry again for incredibly long wait.. this time I didnt procrastinate!! I have TONS of schoolwork rite now.. projects, term papers, you know the deal.. so the chaps are a lil slower in posting than usual.. but, alas, summer approaches =] hehe.. enjoy the chappie, it does APPEAR short, but thine eyes may deceive thee ;] they're very detailed paragraphs... and thanks SOO much to all reviewers, I never got that many reviews for one chap before =D ENJOY ME HEARTIES!!  
  
Chapter 7: Jack of the Rings  
  
"And yet, he bore a strange ring... Two serpents... with emerald eyes... one devouring the other, crowned in golden flowers."  
  
Jack's mood took a noticeable turn as he settled himself in the armchair perpendicular to Will's. The fireplace crackled and sparked, sending waves of bouncing light across Jack's grinning face.  
  
"This is the absolute best tale I have to offer you, mate, but really, you must remind me to tell you the rest of them sometime. Awfully nice little stories for conversation." Jack chuckled to himself and Will shook his head.  
  
"Every one of your stories is exaggerated Jack. Elizabeth's told me all about the true story of your escape from that island, and it's not nearly as impressive as the one you tell. Why should I believe this one?"  
  
Will looked quite pleased with himself, thinking he had caught Captain Jack Sparrow's bluff, and might now hear the true tale. However, Jack simply grinned all the more, and narrowed his dark eyes.  
  
"Well, darling Lizzy has not heard this one, so I would once again advise you to belay your assumptions, for I swear on my very best bottle of rum, this story is told in the absolute truth. And, of the two of us, I'm the only one who knows the story, so it's my word we'll be trusting. So, if I may, I'll begin..."  
  
Will nodded and rolled his eyes, a sarcastic expression upon his face. Jack tipped his head forward in a small nod and began.  
  
"Seven years ago, about a month after I made the acquaintance of the lovely Juliet, we had a very... interesting night.. verrry interesting..."  
  
................................................  
  
Roars of laughter enveloped the cluster of pirates and prostitutes that surrounded a small table in the corner of the Addled Corsair, a crowded bar in Tortuga. Amidst the pack of people that were gathered around the table sat a man and a young woman, the ones that were actually being surrounded.  
  
The man sat with his feet up on the table, his ankles crossed over each other, and his elbows rested casually on the arms of his chair. Dark black coal was smudged around the edges of his eyes, giving their deep brown color an even more alluring quality. Trinkets and beads were intricately woven into his thick mass of black hair, all pulled back behind a tattered red bandana.  
  
Beside him sat a young woman, she couldn't have been more than nineteen, in a simple off-white dress that laced up in the front. Her long, loose, jet black curls swept down her back and came to a stop just below her waist. She sat with one leg crossed over the other, and one hand rested on her thigh. Her chin was propped up in her other hand, her thin fingers reaching up the side of her face and drumming along her chiseled cheek bones. Her expression was that of carefree boredom, but she was a vision of loveliness, quite opposite of the man beside her. But there was one part of her which did not so perfectly fit her image. Glistening as her fingers moved, a large silver ring resided upon her thumb. Engraved on each side was a skull atop two crossed bones, each design leading to the crown which held a deep green emerald, just the color of the sea...  
  
Captain Jack Sparrow was a celebrity in Tortuga. He had turned up ten years prior, wanting to gather a crew to look for the Lost Treasure of Cortez. After a mutiny aboard his first crew, Jack Sparrow became quite the legend. He escaped from the island he was marooned on, vanished under the eyes of seven agents of the East India Trading Company, avoided two trips to the gallows in Port Royal, and then, after all of that, reclaimed his ship, the Black Pearl. Therefore, anyone who was in his company also accompanied him in his social status. Ever since their first meeting, Jack and the young lady beside him had been nearly inseperable, and rumors were flying around the town.  
  
Juliet was not in the good graces of many of her fellow... employees... She was quiet about her profession, she didn't try in the slightest to attract "business" and yet more men approached her than any of the other girls. It was only once in a blue moon when she would actually leave the bar with one of those men, perhaps once every few months. The other nights she would sit at the bar, her stool facing outwards, almost daring the men to approach her. She was certainly a challenge for those men, but since Captain Jack Sparrow had arrived in Tortuga, she had not spent one full night in that bar.  
  
To further the cause for rumors, each night, Captain Sparrow could be spotted handing over a few shillings to Mr.Conway, the man who owned the bar, and leaving with Juliet shortly thereafter. Both the men and women of the bar were quite jealous. The strumpets in that place could have liked nothing more than to sleep with a captain, especially one as attractive as Jack Sparrow. And the men, they could have liked nothing more than to sleep with Juliet, the most beautiful and the most challenging of the ladies. However, neither group seemed to be getting their wishes lately.  
  
Conway was not entirely convinced, however. Juliet was making him a pretty penny, that was for sure, but he was getting many complaints that she had not been available. He had also known Jack for a long time, and he would usually have his pick of women, he would never stick with one girl for more than three nights at a time. So, why, he wondered would Jack keep Juliet around? She was a nuisance for certain, and although a pretty thing to look at, she gave practically no men their wishes, and she was so young. He would only keep his mouth shut about this situation for so much longer...  
  
Each night the two left the bar together, went aboard his ship, the Black Pearl, disappeared into his cabin, and weren't seen until the next morning, when they both emerged.  
  
Jack and Juliet were the only ones who knew the truth about their relationship, and they needed to keep it that way. And, the truth was that Jack was paying Conway five shillings a night to have Juliet sleep in his bed. That is, while he slept in the hammock in the corner. Of course, she had objected, and offered to sleep there, or even on the floow, while thanking him profusely for what he was doing for her. His answer was always the same, however -- no, I'm fine here, you get your rest. Sure, he would have loved to sleep with her, but he would not disrespect her wishes, and although she didn't say it, he knew she wanted to sleep alone. Through such respect and kindness, Jack and Juliet had grown very close, and although they had only known each other for a month, Jack was probably the best friend Juliet had ever had.  
  
A/N: YES! I really like this chappie ;-) took me long enough lol.. ISNT JACK THE BEST!! not to worry, jack's story wont end there, it'll continue in the next chap.. sorry I didnt make it more to-the-point but I felt that for good character development, I needed to go into more detail.. so the "interesting night" awaits you in the next chap, more incentive for you to keep reading!! ;-)  
  
msblues: hehe.. thanks for another review.. and all I can say about Conway coming back is not at the moment.. we're going to go into his history with Juliet more in the next chapter.. to why he doens't like her in the present.. but please keep reading even if he does come back lol.. i'm glad you like the story!! Please keep reading! =)  
  
missjensparrow: heh, wasn't secret window awesome? I was only traumatized by his face with braces!! Ugggghh.. not the johnny I love ;-) lol but then again I did kinda turn away at the ah.... screwdriver thru the dog part.. hehe ;-) but it was SOOO worth it! Keep reading and thanks for the compliment!  
  
anotherdepplover: wow, thats a lot to read, thanks so much!! =) im really glad you enjoyed it, isnt the deppster awesome? ;-)  
  
Arien Star: All hail the long reviewer! I love long reviews, and thanks soo much for your suggestions, you'll see that I took them into consideration in the chapter ;-) Also, very sorry to go and describe her looks right after you told me you liked that I WASN'T doing that, but I think the description was kinda essential for character development, but I dont think I went into too much detail.. I wanna leave a little room for imagination ;-) tell me what you think!!  
  
Jackoholic: awesome name lol!! I think I could be described as a deppoholic in general ;] thanks so much for the review, keep reading!!!  
  
***A QUESTION!! When I make things bold or italic, they dont show up that way on the site.. do I need to use HTML codes for it to work? Like b or I?? Thanks for any help! 


	8. A Very Interesting Night

Disclaimer: see previous  
  
A/N: Thanks for the reviews I got =) I think I posted at a realli busy time so my story was number 18 w/in like 5 minutes of it showing up but oh wells ;] this chap picks up where we left off, still in the midst of jack's story, so this is NOT present time... enjoy and please review!! =)  
  
EDIT NOTE: It was pointed out that there were 10 years between the mutiny and the present time.. so I've decided that he met Juliet soon after the movie time, and it's now seven years after the "movie", when the story takes place. This means I changed a bit in the last chapter about his "rise to fame" in Tortuga, you may want to go back and check it out.. Also, I would like to ask you to ignore the comment in the second or third chap about "the mutiny would have been a lot harder with her aboard.." until I go back and edit it away =). thanks VERY much for pointing that part out, trusty reviewer ;-)...  
  
Chapter 8: A Very Interesting Night  
  
Juliet lowered her hand from her face, bringing it to join her other. She sat quietly, twisting the emerald ring on her thumb while Jack told stories of his miraculous feats to the crowd gathered around their table. He seemed to have a different story to tell every night, and Juliet wondered whether he just came up with them on the spot, trying to further feed the fire of his celebrity.  
  
"And then, they made me their chief." Jack smiled as he finished his tale, enjoying the satisfied laughter of the crowd. The onlookers began to scatter, some to other corners of the pub, all clapping Jack on the shoulder as they walked by, some staying close and conversing with other listeners. Jack looked over to Juliet, who sat with her eyes cast down, playing with the ring he had given her. She's much quieter than usual, Jack thought. Usually, Juliet was nagging him in an amusing fashion to finish his stories so they could get out of that place. However, he figured the bar would not be the best place to ask if something was bothering her. He removed his feet from the table, adjusting himself in the chair and leaned forward, placing a hand on Juliet's shoulder.  
  
"Ready to go, luv?" he asked her casually, offering his hand to her as he stood up. She reached out and grasped it firmly, in her usual manner, and pulled herself into a vertical position. Jack tried to make eye contact with her, perhaps establish why she seemed so withdrawn, but she only briefly met his gaze, smiled weakly and looked away, nodding her head in answer.  
  
"Right, then... MR. CONWAY!" Jack hailed Conway from across the room, gesturing for him to come over to the pair. Conway nodded and excused himself away from the girl he was occupied with, and hurried over towards Jack. Juliet looked down as Conway approached, playing along with the role she knew so well, though she still gripped Jack's hand tightly behind his back.  
  
"Five shillings, paid in full, Conway... See you in the morning." Jack quickly turned on his heel, and began to walk towards the door, Juliet in tow.  
  
"Jack! Captain! Wait just a moment, if you will!" Conway called after him uneasily, and as Jack stopped and turned to face him near the door, Conway scurried over to the pair. He drew himself up close to Jack, leaning towards his ear and whispering nervously.  
  
"This uh.... this be the last night I can let ye have her Jack... The other men are gettin' a bit tired o' her never bein' around..." He jerked his head toward the bar, and Jack glanced over, eyeing a crowd of men obviously jeering and staring at Juliet. Juliet's hand grew cold in his and he gave it a small reassuring squeeze behind his back.  
  
"Well then, Mr. Conway," Jack replied, narrowing his dark eyes, " we shall make it a night to remember."  
  
..................................................  
  
With a small nod to Conway, Jack turned again, hastily opened the door and stepped outside, pulling Juliet after him. As soon as the door was shut once more, he whirled around and placed both his hands on Juliet's shoulders, regarding her through narrowed eyes, studying if her expression. He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but then, it seemed, the right words escaped him, and he said nothing, but turned again, striding towards his ship.  
  
A few minutes later, they had climbed aboard and were safely inside Jack's cabin, where they could talk freely. Juliet sat down on the edge of Jack's bed, her face cupped in her hands and her elbows digging into her knees. Jack had never seen her in such a state before, and he tipped his head, examining her from across the room, as if he was scared that she would break if he was to touch her. And as he decided to sit down next to her, she did just that.  
  
Juliet's head hung low and she inhaled slowly and deeply, seemingly concentrating on simply breathing. Jack usually touched her as little as possible, because she would always pull away or flinch if he did. He guessed it was because of the bad experiences she'd had with men like him. However, he went against his usual actions and reached a hand over to her face, placing a finger underneath her chin, his thumb coming to rest on her cheek. Though she slightly flinched at his touch, he did not remove his hand and she didn't pull away. He tipped her chin up gently, kindly forcing her to look into his eyes. In the dim lighting of the room, Jack could see a solitary tear rolling down the side of her face, leaving a sparkling trail behind it and glistening in the darkness.  
  
"What is it, luv?" He sounded genuinely concerned, and though he already knew what was on her mind, he wanted it confirmed by her mouth. Juliet turned herself so she was facing him and sniffed, trying to regain a little composure.  
  
"It's all over after tonight Jack," she said heavily, her lower lip trembling as she spoke. Again Jack's mouth opened a bit, but he still could not seem to find the right words. Juliet continued, "I can't stay here anymore, or so Conway says, and I know that you and your crew are leaving soon." Jack looked at her questioningly, obviously wondering how she knew. "Anamaria told me," she answered, reading his thoughts perfectly.  
  
"Jules, let me ask you something... If you were to leave here tonight, knowing that you would be ensured safety and shelter as long as you remained with me, do you think you would regret it?"  
  
"There's certainly nothing I would miss here," she replied. "So no, I guess I probably would not regret it." Jack nodded and smiled wryly.  
  
"As I thought... Do us a favor, stay here for a moment, I'll return shortly..." Jack arose from the bed and strode out the door of the cabin, shutting it behind him. Juliet could hear him shouting on the deck, though she couldn't make out exactly what he was saying. Moments later, however, she heard an unmistakable cry of "Weigh anchor, men! We sail tonight!"  
  
The next minute, Jack appeared in the doorway of his cabin, holding two large bottles of rum. He sat back down next to Juliet and raised his bottle, passing one to her.  
  
"To a life without regrets."  
  
...........................................  
  
Jack twisted the large emerald ring on his finger as he glanced up at Will, who had been listening quite attentively through the entire story. Jack had been lost in his own thoughts for a moment, and Will quietly cleared his throat, gently signaling Jack to come back to reality. Jack repositioned himself in his chair, straightening up a bit, and began to speak again.  
  
"So, in short, Juliet was gone the next morning, and Conway was not very happy with either of us, to say the least. In fact, he sent a group of his own pirate friends out looking for us, though it took them close to a year to find us. And when they did, well, let's just say they didn't return to dear old Conway. Ever since, though, Conway has been on the lookout for both of us, as should have been obvious earlier this evening. And THAT, young William, is why she's in danger. Along with the Pearl of course," he added in quickly.  
  
..................  
  
A/N: W0OT! No procrastination this time, I swear!!! Just loads and loads and loads of schoolwork... but hey, I got it done ;-) please please please more reviews this time!! You'll be rewarded I promise ;-)  
  
Now, for the G0OD people, here you go ;] *hands out cookies shaped like jacks head* I LOVE YOU REVIEWERS!!!  
  
Missjensparrow: well, jack was initially attracted to juliet because she's beautiful, but it's easy to see there's a strong chemistry between the two.. basically, jack's doing that for her because he cares about her ;-) I KNOW!! So cute right? Hehe.. anyway.. now he's taking her away with him.. it's just ever so romantic, no? Lol thanks for reviewing!!  
  
Arien Star: I know I looove the way Jack treats our lovely Jules :-) im really really glad you like the story.. your reviews are so awesome and long ;] and I LOVE long reviews lol.. let me know what you think of this chap!! =)  
  
Deyna Ian Bloom: chivalrous would be the correct spelling ;-) oh, the wonders of spellcheck hehe.. im really lovin ur story, amanda is cool =) referring to your sn, did you see orli in PEOPLE'S 50 Most Beautiful People?? YUMMMM!! Lol ;-) thanks again!  
  
Chip the Ice: wow great name, very original!! THANK YOU SO MUCH for pointing out the flaw in years... *extra cookies for you.. and a glass of milk to dip them in..* may sound weird but people who point out flaws are the absolute best reviewers lol.. hopefully my attempt to fix it makes sense.. and you're so lucky your name is Juliet!! What a GORGEOUS name, and sure, keep dreaming ;-) lols and keep reading too!! =)  
  
*******STILL WONDERING ABOUT HOW TO POST BOLD AND ITALIC TEXT... ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED! ;-) 


	9. One Day My Prince Will Come

Disclaimer: still dont own anything =(  
  
A/N: hola mes libros! I think I just said hello my books but you know.. just the same.. I meant READERS ;] hehe u wouldnt know it but im actually quite good at spanish.. okay ANYWAY.. we're back to the present time in the story.. and the plot is going to be getting rather intense for a bit.. then we'll settle back down again.. im still thinking about the overall plot of the story.. I havent totally figured it out yet and I want it to be original and well thought out so im taking my time... ;-) if you read, PLEASE REVIEW!!  
  
**Chapter 9: One Day My Prince Will Come**  
  
Juliet whipped around the corner of a busy Port Royal street, running down the dirt road as quickly as possible. Her shoulder was throbbing in pain, but she did her best to ignore it, since she had far more important things to worry about. It was the wee hours of the morning and very dark out, and there were barely any people on the streets, besides the group of drunken men congregated outside the Addled Corsair.  
  
Spotting them, Juliet slowed down, edging closer to the buildings on the other side of the road. The shadows of the shops and homes sufficiently enveloped her and she passed through unnoticed. She soon rounded another corner and slipped into a narrow doorway. A small oil lamp bobbed back and forth in the light breeze above her head as she reached into her pocket, pulling out a small key.  
  
Opening the door only to lock it behind her, Juliet quickly ascended the short flight of stairs which led to another door. She silently turned the knob and entered a small room, dimly lit by two candles on a corner table. In that corner sat a small stove and two chairs at the table, and in the other, a small double bed, covered in tattered sheets. The shutters on the windows flapped in the wind, sending a shot of cool breeze towards the bed. As the covers were blown, a small figure turned sharply in the bed, gathering the sheets and pulling them close. Suddenly, the small form sat upright, and looked around the unlit quarters. Its gaze rested upon Juliet, who looked away for a moment, biting her lip. Then its voice rang out unsteadily across the room.  
  
"Mommy?"  
  
.............................................................  
  
Juliet plastered a smile onto her face and turned towards the voice that called to her.  
  
"Yes, sweetheart, it's me," she said softly. "I'm sorry I'm home so late, I was... delayed." She decided it would be best to not go into the details of her evening at the time, but not for the reasons one might think. She was concerned about the effect a fight story would have on her child. It would intrigue and excite her, and that's what worried Juliet.  
  
She opened up a small cabinet and retrieved a match, then kindled all the candles on the small table. The room now had a soft glow, and small waves of light bounced across her face. The child arose from the bed and came over to Juliet, pulling out the chair beside her.  
  
"It's obvious you were delayed, Ma, that's why you're late." The little girl smiled sweetly, evidently quite pleased with herself.  
  
To say that Jacquelyn was vibrant would be a severe understatement. She was about six years old, and really rather smart for her age. If Jack Sparrow could exist in female form, it would be through her. In fact, there was so much of Jack in this little girl that Juliet wondered how it was possible for her to be female. Even her physical features mirrored his. She had long, thick, straight black hair, and dark brown eyes. Her cheekbones were high-set and prominent, giving her a very striking gaze for someone so young.  
  
It's a shame Jack doesn't know about her, Juliet thought to herself as she pondered how to explain their situation to Jacquelyn.  
  
"Jacquelyn," she murmured, "Do you remember the stories I told you about your father?" Jacquelyn rubbed her eyes and yawned, then nodded in response. Juliet bit her lip, staring down at the table. "And do you remember what I said would happen if he ever returned?"  
  
"You said we would have a much better life and we would go with him on his boat-- ship," she corrected herself. It was remarkable how much she resembled her father, though she had never met him, and even came up with phrases similar to his.  
  
"That's right," Juliet responded. She took Jacquelyn's hand in her own, staring deep into the eyes she knew so well, the same eyes on two very similar faces. "Your father is back Jacquelyn, and I have to go with him for a while. But don't worry, darling, I'll be back very soon to get you," she said, tilting her head to the angle of her daughter's. Jacquelyn nodded vigorously, grinning from ear to ear. She never especially minded being separated from her mother, especially when there was an ulterior motive involved, since she spent about half of her time on her own anyway.  
  
"Say hi to Daddy for me, Ma," she whispered eagerly. She idolized her father beyond belief, even though she had never met him. He was like one of those celebrities you worship from afar, often hearing about them, but never hearing from them. But she always believed that one day he would come and take them away with him... Like a prince in shining armor.  
  
...................................................  
  
Juliet hastened her packing and folded the other dress she owned, stuffing it inside a small pillowcase. She tossed in any other clothing she had, and a small hairbrush, then grabbed the two corners up the pillowcase and gathered them into a knot. She opened one of the shutters and looked out towards the port, seeing the first signs of sun nearing the horizon. She turned to Jacquelyn, reawakening her from their small bed.  
  
"Jacquelyn, I have to go now... First thing in the morning, when it's light out, I want you to get yourself dressed and go to Caroline's house. Do you remember where that is?" Jacquelyn nodded sleepily. "Good," Juliet replied, taking a deep breath. "I want you to give this to her," she added, pressing a folded piece of paper into Jacquelyn's small hand. "Promise me you'll go."  
  
"I promise, Ma," Jacquelyn answered groggily, rubbing her eyes. Noticing the unconvinced expression upon her mother's face, she sat up and looked into her eyes. "Really, I do."  
  
"Alright, darling, I have to go now, but I promise you I'll be back very soon. You tell Caroline that, too, okay?"  
  
"Okay, Ma."  
  
"I love you, Jackie," Juliet whispered as she pulled the little girl into a right one-armed hug.  
  
"I love you too, Ma, but you're hurting my neck," Jacquelyn replied, smiling.  
  
Juliet smiled weakly, wiping a solitary tear from the corner of her eye, stood up, and quietly walked out the door.  
  
..............................................  
  
**A/N**: awwwwwwwww tear tear how very sad.. but not to worry, faithful readers! All is well =) But the big question is... JACK AND JACQUELYN... WHATS THE DEAL? Lol well I know.. but I think that you can kinda get everything from what i've said so far, if you're confused, bear with me, just know that Jack does not know about Jacquelyn at this point in time... but again, don't worry i'll go far into details.. at some point everything will be explained... hope to get the next chap up verrry soon.. please review if you read this and let me know what you think of Jacquelyn!!!  
  
**Missjensparrow:** my most faithfulest reader =) do you have any fanfics of your own? If you do let me know in a review because I'll most certainly read em!! A life without regrets... that most definitely would be awesome.. and of course drinking rum while thinking about it would help!! ;-) this week im giving you a nice big bottle of JACK'S FAVORITE RUM!!! Washes down the head-shaped cookies ;-) thankies!!  
  
**Peaches:** thanks for the bold and italic advice lol I think the new QuickEdit thing on fanfiction will let you go in and do it.. perhaps.. I guess i'll see when I post this.. thanks for a nice review!! 


	10. Ready to Make Way

Disclaimer: don't own anything besides my OC's =]  
  
A/N: I'M ALIVE. sorry for the horribly long delay.. been very busy with term papers and air conditioners and dress shopping. Quite a combination, eh? Enjoy, and if you read, please REVIEW, i've been getting just about no reviews lately, which hasnt helped my updating speed hehe.. gives you puppy dog eyes and asks kindly for reviews if u review me, i'll review you ;] ... do we have an accord? also.. if anybody was confused last chap, not to worry! Someone told me it seemed like jack and juliet never did anything, so how could the kid be his? keep in mind they sailed together for 1 and 1/2 years.. a lot can happen in that amount of time lol.. but on to the story.. ;]  
  
**Chapter 10: Ready to Make Way  
**  
Juliet quickly wiped the tears from underneath her eyes as she knocked quietly on Will and Elizabeth's door. Jack had told her to come back there after she packed, and so she did. She didn't know the owners of the home, and had only ever seen Will, so she was surprised when she was greeted by a young woman, close to her in age, she guessed. The woman smiled in a genuinely kind way, extending her hand and speaking brightly to Juliet.  
  
"You must be Juliet. I'm Elizabeth. I think you met Will, my husband, with Jack earlier."  
  
"Um, yes," Juliet replied a bit nervously. Women didn't usually want to talk to her, but then again, it came with the territory. "Is Jack still here?"  
  
Juliet attempted to glance over Elizabeth's shoulder, hoping to see Jack waiting for her inside. Instead, she brought her eyes back to Elizabeth's, who smiled and laughed quietly then took her by the wrist and pulled Juliet inside behind her.  
  
"Jack's already gone to the ship," Elizabeth said. "But don't worry, he said he wouldn't leave without you. Will and I shall take you to him."  
  
Elizabeth turned around and walked to the bottom of the stairs.  
  
"Will!" she called, "Juliet is here! We need to leave!"  
  
They heard a muffled reply of, "Yes, yes! Just a minute." A few moments later, an obviously hastily dressed Will appeared at the bottom of the steps. He grinned as he saw Juliet and Elizabeth standing by the door, Juliet looking mildly amused and Elizabeth looking quite tired of waiting.  
  
"Finally," Elizabeth groaned as she turned to the door and led Juliet outside. Juliet looked back uncertainly at Will as he clambered out of the house behind them, shutting the door. He inclined his head as his gaze met Juliet's and stepped in between the two women. On his left, he laced Elizabeth's fingers in his own, and on his right, he extended his arm to Juliet, who, after a moment of reluctance, took it.  
  
...........................  
  
A few minutes later, the threesome turned a corner and Juliet found herself on a part of the island she hadn't seen in a very long time. She used to come there, years ago, sometimes to think, sometimes to cry, soon after she had left the crew of the Black Pearl. It was where they had dropped her off, the day she left. Tears came to her eyes as she thought about it, but as she saw Jack hopping off the ship she quickly wiped them away.  
  
"Hello, Jack!" Elizabeth called happily as Jack ambled out of the shallow water.  
  
"'Ello, Lizzy!" he shouted in return, finally reaching the group. He took her hand in his and brushed his lips against it, causing Elizabeth to laugh quite hard, partially at his audacity, and partially at the expression that came to Will's face. Jack obviously noticed Will's expression too, because he laughed as well.  
  
"Did you want a kiss, too, dear William? Very well." Jack lunged his hand towards Will's, grinning, but Will yanked his hand away before Jack could do anything embarrassing.  
  
"Very funny, Jack." Will laughed and slipped his arm around Elizabeth's waist, reclaiming her as his own. Jack's eyes traveled to Juliet's, who held his gaze until he spoke.  
  
"Juliet," he said quietly, slightly inclining his head.  
  
"Captain," she replied with a smile, nodding her head in the same manner.  
  
"The Pearl is ready to make way, are you ready to leave this godforsaken spit of land?" Jack asked with a playful grin, glancing at Will and Elizabeth, who both gave oh-that-was-funny looks. Juliet nodded and smiled, and Jack extended his hand. Juliet placed her hand in his, and Jack turned and led her into the small rowboat waiting to carry them to the ship. As soon as she was settled in it, Jack turned and got out, walking back to Will and Elizabeth.  
  
"Farewell, ladies," Jack said jokingly to the pair, lightly wrapping his arms around Elizabeth in a sweet goodbye and then turning to Will. Jack took him by the arm and pulled him over a few meters away.  
  
"Remember what you need to do, Will. Whatever you find out, do not forget it, because if you forget, I'll have to find out for myself, savvy? You have three weeks. At the end of the third, I will come to your house after dark, so as not to be seen by bloody Norrington or any of my other... acquaintances. Then, if anything needs to be done, we'll do it." Jack grinned, and the two men embraced in a brotherly hug. Juliet smiled from the rowboat as she observed them. Men could be so cute.  
  
She sat with her chin propped up in her left hand, gazing out at the Pearl and the sea. She hadn't seen the sea in so long. Well, of course she had _seen_ it, Port Royal was an island, but she hadn't really looked at it in ages. The sun was appearing on the horizon, splashing pastel beams and crisp morning light upon everything in its path. There was a cool breeze, and Juliet closed her eyes, relishing in the peace of the sea that she had long forgotten.  
.......................................  
  
As Jack approached the rowboat after finishing his goodbyes, he was surprised by the state in which he found Juliet. Her knees were tucked up close to her, and she had leaned her left elbow upon one knee, with her hand pressed underneath her chin. Her other hand gripped her left shoulder, near the location where she had been stabbed. The sunlight lit up her face and gave her an almost unearthly glow, and the breeze tossed her long black curls behind her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and a veiled smile crept onto her lips as she heard Jack approaching.  
  
Jack wished he didn't have to stir her. She looked incredibly vulnerable and innocent, a look that was not commonly seen on her. Nevertheless, he pushed the rowboat offshore, then hopped in, and she opened her eyes.  
  
"'Ello, love," Jack said with a grin, "Catching up on some sleep?"  
  
Juliet smiled and nodded, sarcastically stretching her arms in the air. Her mood had definitely changed since the day before, when she had been angry with Jack for "rescuing" her, with her now being really thankful that he had.  
  
Jack picked up the oars and began to paddle them out and Juliet reached behind her and grabbed the second set.  
  
"It's alright, Jules. I don't want you hurting your shoulder before it's even healed, savvy?"  
  
Juliet ignored him. She began to paddle, though she winced as she rotated her shoulder along with the oar. She bit her lip and kept paddling, trying to show Jack, and prove to herself, that she was strong enough to be useful on board. Unfortunately, neither occurred. Jack pulled his oars in, then reached across and pulled Juliet's oars out of her hands and she shot him an obvious death look, squinting her eyes and really looking quite scary.  
  
Jack ignored her. He set the oars behind him so they were out of Juliet's reach and picked his up again, quickly progressing towards the ship.  
  
"I'm not useless," she said, sounding almost hurt. "I'm sure there are things I can do aboard the ship."  
  
"I never said you were useless, love, just that... well, unless you have a spare shoulder in that bodice... unlikely... your uses, at the moment, are few. I won't be having you doing anything aboard that might re-injure your shoulder, whether you like it or not."  
  
Juliet rolled her eyes and raised her eyebrows, classic gestures of insatisfaction, but she was glad that Jack cared that much about her well- being. She looked over at him, and noticed how he'd aged since their last meeting, not so much physically as in his eyes. They looked tired and troubled, and they didn't possess their rum-induced sparkle. Juliet picked her hand up off her lap and laid it on Jack's knee. He gave her a questioning glance, and she looked away, but then brought her eyes back to his.  
  
"Thank you, Jack."  
  
.......................................  
  
A/N: Wow. That's a fairly long chap by my standards, and it took me long enough to write it! Well, finally we're getting somewhere lol.. they've left.. sorry its taken me so long to get up to this point, but I had to develop the characters.. if you read, please review, it only takes a minute and it makes me verrrry happy.. savvy?  
  
**Deyna Ian Bloom**: thanks for keeping up with my story!! Cookies for you, The Lone Reviewer.. lol hope you like this chapter!! 


	11. Welcome to the Black Pearl

A/N: Thanks for the reviews from the last chapter! School is wrapped up so hopefully I'll be updating much faster... I might also start another story, but that is yet to be determined... PLEASE R&R!! Enjoy!!  
  
Chapter 11: Welcome to the Black Pearl  
  
"Throw down the ropes!" Jack called up to the men on the deck of the Black Pearl. Two thick ropes flew down to him and Juliet, both sitting in the rowboat. Jack stood up and took hold of a rope and then motioned for Juliet to get up too. She also stood and grabbed the other rope, and was about to call for them to lift her up, when Jack pulled the rope out of her hands.  
  
"Jules, you are hardly in the condition to be swinging around on a rope." He looked at her, attempting a stern, fatherly glare, but only succeeded in getting her to bite her lip trying to abstain from laughter. She grabbed the rope back and called up to the men.  
  
"Do you remember me, gentlemen?" Some nodded, some just looked at her, horrified, because she had blatantly disobeyed their captain. "Well," she continued, while raising her eyebrows and playfully eyeballing the men on the deck, " Since I am in no condition to be swinging around on ropes by myself, I would appreciate it if you could haul me up there!"  
  
After a few minutes of silence and questioning looks exchanged between the crew members, Cotton stepped forward resolutely and pulled the rope up, hoisting Juliet towards the top of the ship. As she reached the rail, Cotton reached over it and carefully pulled her aboard. She stumbled on to the deck, then quickly regained her balance and looked over the crowd that was assembled around her. Juliet turned to Cotton and placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling kindly.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Cotton," she said as her gaze drifted to the rest of the crew. Finally, the man she was searching for emerged from the mass. "Gibbs!" she squealed as she ran and threw her arms around said gentleman, who was also the only father-figure she had ever known.  
  
"Hello, Jules," Gibbs spoke softly into her ear as she hugged him. Jack clambered onto the deck, having climbed up the rope on his own, since the entire crew was occupied with staring at Juliet. He grinned as he watched the way the men stared at her, remembering the way she used to be "one of the guys" years ago. Obviously, she wasn't one of the guys at the moment, and also obviously, the men would once again need to be taught a lesson about the way they would treat a woman aboard his ship. But he would leave that to Juliet. He opened his mouth, ready to make a snide remark to Juliet and the entire crew. But before he could speak, Anamaria emerged from the crowd and did it for him.  
  
"You're here one bloody minute and the entire crew is already staring at your arse," she commented as she strode over to Juliet. Juliet turned around swiftly with her eyes narrowed and her lips pursed.  
  
"Anamaria," she acknowledged dryly. The two stared each other down and kept their eyes locked silently for what seemed to the crew an eternity. Then they both began to laugh heartily and joined in a friendly embrace. The crew looked partially relieved, partially confused, and partially disappointed. Juliet and Anamaria were known to have had heated arguments from time to time, and sometimes take them to physical levels, when Juliet had last been a member of the crew. This, of course, always entertained many of the men until Jack and Gibbs intervened and separated the two.  
  
"It really is bad luck havin' women aboard, Cap'n," Gibbs would always say after these arguments, "No matter how much entertainment they may be, they're bad luck. No good comes from 'em. None a'tall." However, like most women, they would apologize within a few days, and go back to being the best of friends.  
  
Jack was not entirely satisfied with the reaction Anamaria's comments received, so he added his own.  
  
"So, when you're all done staring at her arse, I'd appreciate it if you got back to work." All Jack saw were blank stares and blushing cheeks upon the members of his crew, but no signs of movement. "On deck, ye scabrous dogs!" he yelled in his usual clear-the-crowd fashion.  
  
The crew regained their composure and returned to their positions, with Anamaria taking control of the helm. Jack and Juliet were left standing in the middle of the deck, with Juliet's one bag at her feet.  
  
"Now that that's all cleared up," Jack said as he turned on his heel, motioning for Juliet to follow him, "I'd appreciate if you would follow me orders, luv. Otherwise, I could always turn the ship around. Keep in mind, also, that there are no terms as of yet as to how long you'll be aboard the Pearl. You wouldn't want to spoil your chances before you've even learned of them. Savvy?"  
  
Juliet had picked up her bag and followed Jack, but carefully considered the truth behind his words before responding. She knew he would never turn the ship behind and leave her to return to the work he knew she was doing, but he was capable of treating her badly, though she didn't think he would. However, her habit of saying exactly what was on her mind made itself apparent through her response.  
  
"Could your ego be any larger, Sparrow?" she said as they reached the door to his cabin, "Remember that I know things about you that you wouldn't want other people to know." She brought herself up on her tip-toes so that she was on his level. "You have no more power over me than I do over you, and you know it. You can't control me." Juliet poked her finger at his chest as she spoke those last few words to emphasize her point.  
  
Jack grinned as he looked down at Juliet's dancing eyes. Slight anger, obvious humor, and threat were waltzing together in her ice blue orbs. She looked up at him and raised her eyebrows, waiting for a response, as he opened the door to his cabin.  
  
Juliet looked around and noticed that this time the bed was the only place to sleep, but she held in her comments. She placed her bag on the bed and sat down on the corner of it.  
  
Jack smiled and turned to head back to the deck, but first, he looked back at her.  
  
"Welcome back, Jules."  
  
With that he smoothly strode out of sight. Of course, his stride was never actually smooth, since he was always somewhat tipsy, but by his standards, that happened to be a _very _smooth stride.  
  
A/N: I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW. It took me forever and now its short. My apologies, my dears. I promise the next chap will be longer ;] on to review thanks....  
  
**Deyna Ian Bloom**: You'll just have to wait and see. But I promise you, it will be very dramatic and WOAH. lol. I have the whole scene planned out in my head already, so not to worry, it should be pretty good ;] thanks so much for keeping up with the story!!!! Cookies for you!!  
  
**CaptainLadyScarlet**: Thanks for starting to read it! I know its long but I hope you continue because the plot gets better as it goes lol. And I do love Romeo and Juliet. ;] 


	12. Deadlines and Caroline

A/N: I'm going to try to be updating faster, I'd like to be able to put aside at least half an hour a day for writing, because I'd like to finish the story before the summer is over. But I confess that my ulterior motive is to get more reviews hehe. Quicker updates = more reviews, right? Anyway, on with the chap =)  
  
**Chapter 12: Deadlines and Caroline**  
  
Will hastily turned a Port Royal street corner, flustered by his absolute stupidity. He realized that he had reached his deadline. Three weeks. Jack would be there that night to collect the information from him, and he didn't have any. He pulled out the small piece of parchment that Jack had scribbled the address on and slipped into Will's pocket as they hugged goodbye so Elizabeth would not notice. This was a men's matter, after all, or so Will tried to assure himself as he considered what Elizabeth's reaction would be if she found out about this little escapade.  
  
Will finally reached the address, and peered in a single small, dusty window. The place was dark, but he could tell it was completely deserted. If no one's there, Jack had said, go to the bar and ask for Caroline. "Caroline, Caroline," Will repeated to himself over and over so he wouldn't forget it. Jack knew Juliet was friends with this infamous girl, one of the easiest, most experienced, sluttiest, and kindest strumpets in town. She was also very loose-lipped, in the gossipy sense. She definitely could not keep a secret.  
  
A few minutes later Will ambled into the Addled Corsair, the bar where Juliet had worked. He went up to a girl who was less intimidatingly busty and rude-looking than the rest.  
  
"Excuse me, um, Miss? Do you know Caroline?" Will asked quietly. He kept his eyes completely locked on her face, not daring to let them wander, or he might receive an invitation that he wouldn't appreciate.  
  
She sighed and smiled, then turned and pointed towards the back of the pub. Will's gaze followed her finger and he knew he had found Caroline as soon as he set eyes on her. She was sitting on a table with one leg crossed over the other, laughing, cheering and drinking with a group of very drunk men. At first glance you would think she was drunk as well. However, she was very pretty and it was obvious why she was so popular. Gleaming blond hair arrayed her shoulders and hung at the sides of her face. She was slender and tall, in fact, she was taller than many of the men.  
  
Will apporached the crowd and took a deep breath, then cleared his throat and pushed through them to the edge of the table.  
  
"'Ey, boy! You wait your turn jus' like e'rryone else, ya' hear?" said a red-faced man as Will edged past him. He finally reached the table and Caroline was laughing histerically and heavily flirting with the man in front of her. Will cleared his throat again and spoke up.  
  
"Caroline?"  
  
She turned and an amused smile crossed her face, but as she looked him over, she squinted skeptically and grinned. "Ah, I thought I'd be seeing you." She hopped down from the table and the other men looked dumbstruck and angry, so Will quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front of the bar and then out the door.  
  
"Whoa, whoa!" she yelled, laughing as he finally slowed down.  
  
"Sorry," he grinned sheepishly and started to explain himself. "I'm a friend of Jack Sparrow, and I understand you're a friend of Juliet's." Caroline nodded and Will continued. "When Juliet left three weeks ago, did she tell you anything or leave something with you?" he asked, ruffling his hair and trying to be casually aloof. As if.  
  
"Did she leave somethin' with me?! Oh, nothin'! Only a kid!" Will's eyebrows shot up and Caroline slapped her hand across her mouth. "Whoops, I'm a bit... eh... loose-lipped, if you catch my meaning." She winked at him and ran her eyes from his hair to his feet and back up again. Will was getting uncomfortable and wanted to finish this as soon as possible.  
  
"Juliet has a child?" he asked while crossing his arms.  
  
"Yeh, and apparently so does your friend."  
  
"What?" Will blanched. It wasn't the fact that Jack had a child that surprised him, just the fact that she seemed to be implying he had one with Juliet. Will had assumed Jack had children he didn't know about all over the place, considering his history with women. But with Juliet? "You must be mistaken."  
  
"I'm not! I wouldn't go and tell Jack, though. Juliet's sworn me to complete secrecy, so there must be some good reason for it, aye?"  
  
"Well I see you hold your vows important," Will answered sarcastically. "Where can the child be found?"  
  
"She's at my house, actually. Juliet told her to go to me once she left, and she did. She's a sweet girl, very smart, perhaps too smart."  
  
"Well, thanks for your time, Caroline. I'm Will, by the way, Will Turner."  
  
"Very nice to meet you, Mr. Turner. Perhaps we'll see each other again." She winked again, then turned, sweeping her dress behind her with an absurd amount of flourish and sauntered back towards the pub.  
  
Will headed back home, glad that he had found _something_ out, but he wasn't happy about what it was.  
  
..........................  
  
"Gibbs, meet me at the wheel in two minutes," Jack whispered as he brushed past Gibbs on deck. Juliet was currently at the wheel, and they were headed for Tortuga, or so Jack had told them. At the moment, however, they were no more than ten miles off the Port Royal shore, and it just happened to be exactly three weeks since the last time they were there. How convinient.  
  
"I'll steer for a bit, luv," said Jack as he strode up behind Juliet. He twirled one of her long curls around his finger as he waited for her to turn around. She smiled and looked into his eyes for a moment, then replied, "Aye, I'll help Anamaria with the riggings." Jack smiled too and patted her shoulder as she passed behind him. Her old nautical way of speaking had come right back to her, the words flowing off her tongue as if she had never left. She had also re-donned a sailing uniform, her outfit parroting Anamaria's. Perhaps old flames can be rekindled, thought Jack as he watched her walk towards the riggings. As soon as she was out of sight and earshot, Gibbs appeared in front of the wheel.  
  
"Jack, yeh wanted to see me?"  
  
"We're going to be encountering a change in the wind tonight, Gibbs, and we may be pushed to the shores of Port Royal. A pit stop, if you will. I have some unfinished business there, very important. But Juliet must not see me leave the ship or all will be lost, savvy?"  
  
"Secrecy says you, I'll be feelin' that change in the wind, says I."  
  
Jack grinned conspiratorially and turned back to the wheel, forming a plan in his head to keep Juliet below decks that evening.  
  
A/N: I know, it could be much longer. But I'll be updating again very soon, hopefully ever few days. =) please review if you read, it makes me oh so happy!!  
  
**DeynaIanBloom:** I hurried for you lol. Too bad Jack hasnt found out yet, but don't worry, it should be in the next chapter... I promise you'll enjoy the scene lol... maybe a bit of fluff, maybe some anger, not quite sure yet.. i'll figure it out as I go lol, but I know what'll happen in general.. hope you enjoyed this one! =) 


	13. A Series of Most Unfortunate Events

**Chapter 13: A Series of Most Unfortunate Events**  
  
Night seemed to fall early that evening, and the crew gradually made their way to their various cabins. Juliet had been sharing Jack's cabin, and so she headed down there once she was the only one left on deck besides Jack, Gibbs, and Anamaria. Jack told her he'd be steering for a while longer, and that they might just drop anchor for the night once he got tired, because the other two were sick of the night shift at the helm. She had offered to take over, but he brushed it away, mumbling about how she shouldn't strain her shoulder and how he didn't think she was entirely trustworthy.  
  
Juliet was a bit perturbed at the fact that she had been hurried downstairs by Gibbs and Anamaria, even though they were staying on deck, and was also rather suspicious about the whole situation. She also found that she was not the least bit tired, so she resolved to sit down by the window. In the distance, she barely made out what seemed to be a large island, no more than three or four miles away most likely. She wrote it off however, and her gaze dropped down into the water, focusing into the endless depths before her.  
  
.......................  
  
Juliet had drifted into her own world, lost in the waves that caressed the sides of the ship. However, she was quickly brought back to reality by the sound of light footsteps heading down the stairs to Jack's cabin. She dove into the bed as quietly as possible, scurrying under the covers and closing her eyes. The door opened slowly and the click of boots echoed around the quiet room as Jack approached the bed.  
  
"Ahh, just like old times. I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me, Jules. And who could blame you? Afterall, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he said aloud, clicking over to the bed.  
  
He chuckled quietly as he set eyes on Juliet. She was in his bed. She had been insisting that she sleep on the floor, and had allowed him his bed. Of course, Jack, being who he was, he had offered to share the bed, but Juliet did not agree. Jack poked her arm to make sure she really was asleep, and he got no response, so he figured she was.  
  
"Sleep well, luv. I'm off to find out what you've been hiding from me." He grinned mischeviously as he turned and exited the cabin, quietly shutting the door behind him and heading back to the deck.  
  
As soon as Jack was safely up the steps, Juliet bolted out of the bed and back to the window. _Of course_ there was land in the distance, and no wonder she thought she recognized it. It was Port Royal! Jack was probably going to see that bloody Will who had probably been spying for him the entire time they were gone and Will had probably talked to Caroline who had probably told him everything. Too much guessing, Juliet decided. She needed to know for sure.  
  
.............................  
  
By the time they had dropped anchor in their usual location, the sky was pitch black. And the cover of darkness if often too good to resist. Juliet watched from the window as Jack slipped away from the ship, and then she snuck up on the deck. Gibbs and Anamaria stood near the helm, so Juliet slipped by them through the shadows. She crouched at the bow of the ship, waited for both of the helm-guards to look away, then lowered herself over the side of the ship. Halfway down, she realized there was no boat waiting for her at the bottom. Oh well.  
  
Juliet dove into the water as quietly as she could. It was surprisingly cold, so she quickly resurfaced and swam to shore. She shook her head around as she stepped out of the water to try to dry it off, but the beads that were now scattered throughout her long locks ended up making quite a racket. Oh well.  
  
.............................  
  
"Will? Why are you still downstairs?" Elizabeth called from the top of the steps.  
  
"Um, no reason, I'm just not tired... yet."  
  
Unfortunately, the loud bangs on the door that followed gave Will away. Elizabeth came down the stairs and Will started toward the door, but Elizabeth cut him off.  
  
"Sit," she said curtly. She faked a smile and walked toward the door, swinging it open surprisingly hard. Her mouth dropped at the sight she met, a smiling Jack Sparrow.  
  
"What is he doing here, AGAIN? And why didn't I know he was coming? And why so late? This can't be good. Sit, Jack," Elizabeth ordered.  
  
"Lovely to see you again, too, Liz. Now, Will," Jack said as he sashayed over to Will and sat down. "What have you found out for me?"  
  
"Well..." Will stammered, standing up from the chair and starting to pace around Jack and Elizabeth. "I did find something out, but... Jack, you may want to sit down."  
  
"I'm already sitting."  
  
"Oh, right, well... uh..." Will ran his hand through his hair, collecting his thoughts and thinking about what to say. Suddenly, however, there was a series of deafeningly loud knocks at the door.  
  
"Please, gentlemen," Elizabeth said sarcastically, "Don't trouble yourselves. I'll get it." She rose from her chair and stalked to the door, opening it slowly. Needless to say, her eyebrows shot up even higher than before when she saw who stood at her door.  
  
"May I-" she was cut off by the young woman as he launched herself into the room towards Will.  
  
"Will! Will! Oh, it was horrible! You must help me!" Will looked around uneasily as Caroline ran to him and wrapped her arms around him. Elizabeth's mouth dropped open, and then she galred at Will and went to sit down with Jack. Jack was entirely amused by the situation, watching this strumpet invade their home.  
  
"Caroline... how did you find out where I live? And uh... what exactly are you doing here?" Will asked as he tried to get Caroline off of him.  
  
"How do you know her?!" Elizabeth shrieked from her seat.  
  
"That would be my fault, Lizzy," Jack said as he stood up. "Caroline, luv, please dislodge yourself from Will, or you may not make it out of this house," he said as he tilted his head toward Elizabeth.  
  
"Well," Caroline began, "About finding your home, I asked the Commodore last night." Eyebrows shot up all around the room, along with countless stifled laughs. "Anyway," she continued, "When I came home last night, or should I say this morning, I found this note pinned to my door." She handed a crumpled piece of paper to Will, who opened it and began to scan it over.  
  
_Juliet:  
I wonder if by now you've realized your mistake in leaving me. If not, you will now. If you'd ever like to see you most treasured possesion, or may I say, mistake. I imagine Sparrow will be wanting to help you, if you've even told him about this lovely little thing. I suggest you do so now if you have not. If you'd like to see this item again, alive, that is, you will find me in one of Mr. Sparrow's favorite places. My crew and I will be waiting for you there, for two weeks. After that period of time, the offer is up. Upon meeting, you will see what I desire in return.  
  
Until we meet again,  
Conway_  
  
Will read it out loud and looked to Caroline, then to Elizabeth and Jack's confused faces. Then, they all noticed, the door was ajar. Juliet stood in the doorway, one hand clasped over her mouth, tears running freely down her cheeks. Jack turned to Will, then looked to Elizabeth and Caroline. When he looked back to Juliet, she was lying in a heap on the floor, obviously having fainted.  
  
"Will, do us a favor, meet me in my cabin on the Pearl in fifteen minutes. You would do well not to be seen, savvy?" said Jack as he scooped Juliet up into his arms. "Ta, Lizzy. Caroline, luv, come with me."  
  
A/N: a farely long one! I am SOOOO sorry, I promise that Jack will find out about the kid in the next chapter, I just thought this one was getting a little long. I'm going on vacation and i'm not sure if I'll have internet access, but if I do, I'll try to post more!! Hope you enjoyed, and please review! ALSO, very sorry for the horribly long delay but I was on vacation... now im back!! =)  
  
**DeynaIanBloom:** NAUGHTY YOU! Dont hurt jack lol. Well, my deeeeeepest apologies I swear i'll get to that scene in the next chapter. Don't hurt me ;] i'll try to do the next one verrry soon! Thanks so much for being such a loyal reader, oh and sorry for the cliffie. Hehe ;]


	14. Screaming Infidelities

A/N: i'm in a bad mood so this a good time for this chapter. No one's very happy at the moment.I think my story is getting too long to gain new reviewers, lol. Oh well, im starting a new one soon, so im finishing this one for myself and for DeynaIanBloom !! lol.. also, I might change my screenname on here, but keep the same account. You can do that right? Okay well here goes this chapter, and "the scene" is here, as promised. ;)  
  
**Chapter 14: Screaming Infidelities**  
  
Fifteen minutes later, Will and Caroline were seated in Jack's cabin aboard the Black Pearl, with Juliet lying on his bed, still unconscious. Jack was pacing from corner to corner in the room, pressing the two waking individuals for details that they were reluctant to give him.  
  
"Now, Caroline, _darling_," Jack emphasized, doing his best to break her silence. "What is it that you know about this situation?" He gave her his signature smile, which was certainly enough to win her over.  
  
"Well, I only know that what he's got is her- OWWW!!" Will crushed his foot onto Caroline's before she could utter another word.  
  
"Caroline," he said, forcing a smile, "Your services are no longer required this evening." A muffled "He has to know, Will!!" could be heard through Will's hand, which was clasped over her mouth. He shoved five shillings into Caroline's hand and pushed her out the door. Then, closing it, he turned back to Jack who looked very much confused, and slightly frightened- a look that was not often seen on him.  
  
"Well, Jack, umm... sit down, mate."  
  
Jack did as he was told and looked up at Will expectantly.  
  
"It seems that Juliet... has something Conway... can hold against her, so to speak."  
  
"That something being..." Jack prompted, adding in his usual hand gestures.  
  
Will ran his hand through his hair nervously. He looked down at the floor. "A child," he whispered.  
  
"What?"  
  
"A child!" Will shouted, slamming his hand down onto the table in frustration with the situation.  
  
"Ahh," Jack breathed, his expression darkening. "It seems Juliet has been rather busy then, ey?"  
  
"Well, no, not exactly..." Will stammered.  
  
"How's that? She's a strumpet. Not bloody surprising if you ask me... She always was-"  
  
"JACK!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Thechildisyours." Will slurred the words together and got them out as quickly as possible. He held his breath, waiting for Jack to respond. Jack's face turned very serious and angry-looking. Will had only seen him look like that one other time- when he shot Barbossa.  
  
"You think this wise, boy? This isn't a time for joking." Jack said, trying to incorporate some humor, but obviously getting more and more annoyed by the minute.  
  
"I mean it Jack. A girl. Six years old. She looks just like you, acts like you, there's no question that she's yours. Juliet even named her after you. She's called Jacquelyn."  
  
Jack's lips threatened a smile for a second, considering the prospect of having someone named after him. But then he remembered the situation, and his frown recommenced. He pursed his lips, considering the possibilities he faced. After another couple moments like this, he said, "You're telling me, that I have a child, a girl, who I was never told about, unless it slipped through my mind... unlikely... who is now in the clutches of an alcoholic, strumpet-crazed, violent, sinister, evil, and otherwise bilge-sucking madman?"  
  
"Basically, yes." Will answered him honestly, though he was concerned about how Jack would deal with all this at once.  
  
"AND, that her life may depend on my crew, Juliet, and myself risking or compromising _our_ lives." Jack didn't even need to hear Will's response, he already knew what would be in store for him over the next few weeks. "Very well," he said quietly, pushing himself up from the chair. "Let's get you going, ey? When dear Juliet awakes, we'll have quite a lot to... discuss... If I don't kill her first. Sorry my visit was short this time, give Liz my best. Keep a weather eye open for any news of Conway or the child, savvy?"  
  
Will nodded and clasped his hand on Jack's shoulder, trying to encourage him a bit. Jack wrapped his arm around Will's shoulder, walking him to the door, and saying farewell. Then he sat down at his bed-side, waiting for Juliet to awake.  
  
.............................  
  
After another ten minutes had passed, Jack concluded that this was far too long for Juliet to be unconscious, and that she may have just fallen asleep. The quickest remedy: arm tapping. He drummed away on her arm rather roughly, but within seconds she was coming back to reality. Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Jack's face above hers, and immediately her breath caught in her throat, her memory came back to her, and she began to cry all over again. She knew Jack would know Jacquelyn was his by now, and she couldn't hold in her shame about not telling him. Tears rolled down her cheeks and she covered her face with her hands, leaning into her own lap and the blanket for comfort. Seeing her like this, Jack couldn't help but let his anger fade, and let his sympathy for her take over. Now, Jack wasn't sympathetic towards everyone he met, but Juliet... his darling Jules, he couldn't help but want to protect her.  
  
"Jules... Jules, calm down," he murmured as he lifted her top half up and attempted to look into her eyes. She was overcome with grief and guilt, and most definitely could not pull herself together that easily.  
  
"Oh, Jack... I'm... I'm so sorry... Sorry for everything," Juliet choked between sobs. She collapsed into his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his neck and shaking with every fresh lament. Jack climbed up onto the side of the bed, then resolved to sit himself down next to her. She was mostly under the covers, her chest and arms stretched out only so that she could breathe. She would have loved more than anything to hide under the blankets, but she couldn't bring herself to move. Jack cradled her shoulders in his left arm, and wiped the tears from underneath her eyes with his right arm's fingers. He moved his hand up her cheek and she let it support her head, completely losing any strength she still possessed into her never-ending sobs.  
  
"Darling, darling..." Jack whispered, "It'll be alright. We'll get her back... After all, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow..." Jack ran his thumb across her soaked eyelashes, hoping she would open her eyes. She flicked them open and they were still full of tears. She shook her head slightly, staring straight into Jack's deep brown eyes.  
  
"How can you possibly forgive me for what I've done?" she whispered, still trembling with every breath.  
  
"Well, not to be... improper, love, but you couldn't have done it without me." He grinned, amused by his own jokes as usual, but Juliet just looked like she was about to start crying even more. Noticing this, Jack followed up. "Jules... I can never stay mad at you... But why didn't you tell me? You shouldn't have had to bear that burden all by your onesies, savvy? How long ago was this? Because I certainly had no idea you were going to have a child."  
  
"It was right before I left, Jack." Jack's lips parted a bit in shock as she spoke, and his eyebrows scrunched together. "I found out when I visited a doctor in Port Rochester for a broken wrist, and I couldn't bear the thought of you sacrificing your life over my mistake, after you'd done so much for me already... I just..." Her throat choked up again, and fresh tears welled up in her eyes.  
  
"What mistake, love?" Jack murmured, interlacing his fingers in her long locks of hair. "I never thought of that night as a mistake. Not even now." Juliet only just then noticed that the space between their faces was getting smaller by the second. Jack ran his thumb across her lips, and then closed the remaining distance between them, reminding her how to live without regrets.

**A/N**: Sorry, I know it's kind of short, but it was the perfect place to stop. My mood has climbed about 100%, how I love these two. SO- a deeper romance blossoms between our two J's? We'll hafta see. AND HOW SEXY IS JACK?!?! What I would give to be Juliet...  
  
Jack: You could be, if you were older.   
Rachel: Why older?   
Jack: Because you're not legal.   
Rachel: Puhleez, hang the rules. I wouldn't consider it a crime. Well, not coming from you anyway.   
Jack: Well... maybe if I had some more rum first.   
Rachel: hehe... good pirate!  
Jack: You're scaring the people.  
Rachel: THWAP! shhhhhh!!  
  
**DeynaIanBloom**: Hopefully "the scene" was what you were hoping for, I know you'll appreciate the last paragraph. ;) I'm pretty sure you're gonna like the next few chapters, too.. if they turn out as I plan... hehe.. if I change my screenname, i'll leave you a message letting you know so that you can still find the story! And thank you SO much for being my reviewer, even if I don't have a lot of people reviewing, I always know you'll read it. ( Well thanks again!!! =) 


	15. Passing Notes and Stupid Parrots

A/N: So, you may be wondering how far Jack and Juliet went last night. Let me assure you, they didn't renew _too_ many memories, lol. Just a kiss, promise. Well, let's not go past second base. That's my limit for now. Work it out in your head. And don't get any in-the-gutter ideas from the opening paragraph. They fell asleep. They're fully clothed. Okay, now that that's all cleared up, here we go, lol. ;)  
  
Oh, and the song lyrics at the beginning of the chapter.. I dunno I liked the song and it reminded me of Jack and Juliet... =) I use too many smiley faces.  
  
Chapter 15: Passing Notes and Stupid Parrots  
  
"_Tell me what you thought about  
__when you were gone and so alone  
the worst is over  
you can have the best of me  
we got older but we're still young  
we never grew out of this feeling that we won't give up."_  
--- "Best of Me" - The Starting Line  
  
Jack awoke to the sound of waves gently brushing against the Black Pearl and beams of light shooting through the windows. Wondering how long he'd been asleep, he made to stretch his arms and get up, but then realized he couldn't feel his left arm. Looking to his side he was momentarily taken aback by the presence of Juliet. She was stretched out next to him in an obviously deep sleep, mumbling incoherently as she unknowingly scooted herself closer to him. Her shoulderblades were digging into his arm, explaining why it was asleep along with her. Jack carefully reached over to his left arm and began pulling it out from underneath her, finally letting her shoulders down onto the mattress.  
  
"Stupid parrots, go home," Juliet muttered into the pillow as she rolled into the formerly occupied space next to her.  
  
"You tell those parrots, Jules." Jack smirked and swaggered as quietly as possible to the door.  
  
"Yeah... yeah, I will," she responded through the pillow, and then slipped back into her dreams. As soon as Jack had closed the door, he proceeded to noisily click his way towards the helm.  
  
Anamaria was steering the ship and Gibbs was hovering around her. The two were obviously debating where they were supposed to be heading.  
  
"Tortuga," Jack declared as he approached them. Then he added quietly, "and then on to the Port Peligro area." Anamaria and Gibbs looked up as if he had said that after Tortuga they would all be diving into a firepit.  
  
"What's in your head, Sparrow?!" Anamaria yelled loudly enough for the entire crew to hear.  
  
"Gibbs," Jack whined. "Did I not tell you to let her read the note? Well, to make a long story short," he continued, turning to Anamaria, "Juliet has a child and she's been kidnapped. I know where she's going to be, and I'm gonna take her." He conveniently left out the part about the child also being his, so the blame wouldn't need to fall on him. He knew they wouldn't give Juliet a hard time about it, but it would be another story with him.  
  
"Jack..." Gibbs began, looking a little nervous. "You know better 'en us the way pirates are treated at Port Peligro. They'll take one look at ye and toss a rope 'round yer neck. We don't be needin to lose the entire crew to the hangman."  
  
"Well, you see, that _would_ be a problem, if we were going to Port Peligro itself. But that's _not_ where we're going..." Jack lowered his voice and motioned for Anamaria and Gibbs to lean in a bit. "Not far off the coast lies an island very similar to Isla de Muerta. It's not often found, because it's very small, but upon it, lies a treasure so voluptuous that the man who finds it will not have to work another day in his entire life. The only way to find this treasure is with a map that there is only one copy of. However, the map is divided into two sections. Put together, you can be led to the most extraordinary treasure imaginable. Juliet and I, together, have this map. Conway knows that I have one. That's why he took Juliet's child- he's keeping her there to get me there. Dear Juliet, however, does not know I have one. Nor does she know about the map she possesses. And she mustn't learn it yet. Because if she knew that I knew that he knew that I had one and I knew she had one, then she'd know I'm the reason her child's been kidnapped and we wouldn't want her to know that, savvy?"  
  
Gibbs and Anamaria exchanged anxious glances, then looked back at Jack, hoping for a clearer idea of what exactly they'd be doing. Noticing this, he thought of a quick escape to avoid explaining himself.  
  
"AND! You'll each get fifteen percent of me plunder." Jack grinned seeing the more convinced expressions that were now on their faces. "What say you?" he bellowed enthusiastically.  
  
"Aye!" Anamaria responded in her typical fashion after a moment's hesitation. Gibbs nodded uncertainly and headed towards the riggings, muttering loudly about how he wouldn't say "I told you so" if they got killed.  
  
Happy to have the agreement of Anamaria and Gibbs, Jack marched back to his cabin to see if Juliet was awake yet. As the door opened, Juliet paused and looked up. She had been making the bed and all the while wondering how it had gotten that messy. Last night was a bit of a blur in her mind, and she desperately wanted to know if anything had happened. Luckily, Jack was here and they could have a little chat. Oh, how she would hurt him if they had gone too far...  
  
"Morning, luv!" said Jack as he quickly approached Juliet and wrapped his arms around her. "Did the parrots finally leave you alone?" She wondered what in the world he was talking about as he leaned in close to her, obviously about to kiss her. She was a fast thinker, however, and instead of his lips meeting hers, they met her fingertips, and not in a seductive type of way. He opened his eyes and was obviously surprised and a little confused. Juliet was smiling uneasily and removed her hand from his lips and put it on his shoulder. He leaned in again but this time she leaned out of the way, causing another surprised eye-pop.  
  
"Um, Jack..." she began, laughing nervously. "Last night was a bit of a blur, and I... umm... I don't exactly remember..." She raised her eyebrows and shrugged her shoulders, trying to communicate her meaning without saying it. Realization hit Jack, but instead of being disappointed, he grinned devilishly and pulled her even closer to him.  
  
"Would you like me to remind you?" he asked in a soft, coy tone.  
  
"Well, it kind of depends on whether-" Juliet was cut off by Jack swooping down on her again, but this time she didn't have time to move. So, sadly, she was forced to endure this _horrible_ reminder. She slowly pulled away and clapped her hands together.  
  
"Aha... well, if that was all, than I don't see any harm in it. Do you, Jack? Since there's no permanent damage involved..." Juliet smiled in response to Jack's widening grin and then went and sat down on the bed. "Sorry to bring up a rather morbid topic, and I don't mean to force this venture on you and your crew, Jack, but have you figured out where it is we're supposed to be heading, and what exactly we'll be doing there?"  
  
"Well," Jack began, swinging the chair from his desk over to the bed and sitting down, "We'll first be making a brief stop in Tortuga. Just one night, for, umm... supplies. Yes, supplies for the journey! Then, we're on to the Port Peligro area." Juliet gave a response that was similar to Anamaria and Gibbs', but after a careful explanation from Jack, who purposely left out the part about the map, she agreed. Jack had decided now would not be the best time to explain this, but Juliet seemed to disagree.  
  
"Why does Conway want us to come there? What does he need us, or our daughter for?" Juliet looked anxious to hear Jack's response, and he resolved that he shouldn't lie to her.  
  
"Are you absolutely sure you want to know?" he ventured, hoping she might change her mind.  
  
"No," Juliet replied, "But try me." Jack sighed and scratched his head, trying to decide where to begin. He ran his finger over the small scar on his wrist, the one that read "**J**2."  
  
"Well... I don't really know where to begin, but here's my best shot. Roll up your sleeve."  
  
........................  
  
A/N: I am really really sorry. It took me a while to do AND the chapter sucks AND it's a cliffie. I just wanted to get something posted, so this is it. But, the next chapter should be pretty good, as it'll explain a LOT. Thanks for reading, please review!  
  
**Deyna**: thanks for reviewing!! And you can write like that, you're really good!! I think you'll like the next chapter ;) Isn't Jack the best? Lol of course he is!! And very sorry that the chapter is short! Next one will be up quicker I hope. I miss your POTC writing, btw, you should start a new fanfic! I have a new one in the works, but I'm not sure whether it'll work out yet, lol! Oh, and it seems some romance is here to stay, but we'll just have to see. Thanks again!


	16. Explanations Lead to Complications

Disclaimer: I don't own any original POTC characters.

A/N: (we're picking up with Jack explaining everything to Juliet.) I realized it could have been confusing when I said they were first going to Tortuga, since they had already been there. Over the night Gibbs and Anamaria weighed anchor and brought the ship out for the night. They have to go back because they hadn't had time to get supplies the night before.

**Chapter 16: Explanations Lead to Complications**

"Roll up your sleeve." Juliet looked puzzled, however she did as she was asked, rolling her sleeve up to her elbow. She raised her eyebrows expectantly, nodding at Jack and trying to prompt him to speak. He looked around the room, at everything but her, still trying to avoid the topic. When he noticed she wasn't giving up, he sighed and put his chin in his palms, thinking over how he should explain this.

"Do you remember the night that we got these, Jules?" Jack asked, pointing to the identical scars on their wrists. Juliet nodded, absentmindedly tracing it over with her finger before looking back up to Jack. "Well... there was a reason... other than the one I told you... for making them. But I did mean the one I told you, too!" he assured her, smiling nervously. She looked at him with an expression that was dripping with distrust. "Me other reason... may have a little something to do with why we're wanted on this island. You see, there's quite a large treasure hidden there, but it's impossible to find, _except_ if you have the map that tells its exact location. My father showed the map to me, and I gave it to you. I gave it to _us_, really, in the form of these scars. Now, nobody knows about them except me, and now you, and... well, Conway. He knows that I have one, however he doesn't know that you do, and he really shouldn't learn it. That way, we have something to negotiate the safe return of Jacquelyn with. Savvy?" Jack smiled, pleased with himself for putting all that information together so well. Juliet however, did not look quite as happy.

She slowly stood up from her seat, her eyes completely set on Jack. Slowly, she stalked forward, her eyes blazing in the light. She looked like she wanted to kill him, ruthlessly murder him and then display the body for all to see, to be an example of how people should _not_ be. "You filthy, lying, greedy WRETCH!" Juliet shouted as she raised her hand to hit him. She flung it through the air with such force that it actually whistled, but Jack clamped his hand around her wrist before she could touch him.

"I really don't think I would have deserved that, love. I know that it might _seem_ like I did it for selfish reasons, but it was going to be for both of us. It could have-"

"YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT YOUR GODDAMN TREASURE, JACK! There are more important things happening here than me and you! My daughter's life is at stake, and you're thinking about _not_ telling Conway where the treasure is?! Ohhh, well you're wrong Captain Sparrow!! VERY WRONG! Conway's getting whatever he wants and we're getting OUR daughter back! She's yours too, this is just as much your responsibility as it is mine, not to mention the fact that your treasure obsession is the cause of all this!! You are a pathetic excuse for a father and a man if all you can think about is how you're going to keep your treasure when your child's life is on the line. You should think about that."

With that, Juliet swept out of the room and stomped onto the deck, pushing her way through the crew members that had gathered outside Jack's door, obviously listening to her screaming. Jack sat very still in his room, his head in his hands, sighing into his palms. Obviously his explanation hadn't gone over as well as he thought it would, and he was sure he'd be paying for it with the silent treatment from Juliet, or worse, her being polite to him. He would much rather have her screaming at him constantly than completely ignoring him, or treating him stiffly. However, Jack was sure she would do everything in her power to make him think about what she said to him.

................

The Pearl had briefly re-docked in Tortuga to pick up supplies, as Jack put it, among other typical things, such as rum and strumpets. Now, they had been back out in the ocean for two and a half days, and Juliet had not spoken to Jack since she yelled at him in his cabin. Jack had made multiple attempts to apologize, but by now he had given up. He wasn't upset anymore, oh, no- he was furious.

Jack came to the conclusion that Juliet had treated him entirely disrespectfully, and was fuming over the fact that she hadn't apologized to _him_. She had accused him of being greedy, which he most certainly was not. He had wanted to share the treasure with her. And, Jack added silently, convincing himself, Juliet had not deduced that as long as Conway didn't know who had the second map, Jack had something to bargain with. Yet no one would have that if Juliet went ahead and told Conway the moment they stepped onto that island. _However_, Jack noted his brilliance, Jules does not know how the two maps fit together, and therefore, her information is completely worthless. Jack smiled smugly to himself. This was a win-win situation-- there was no way he could lose.

.......................

A/N: Another chappie.. I saw Bourne Supremacy last night and it may have given me an idea for a secret window fic.. not sure yet tho.. still not sure about a second potc story, though its in the works.. okie dokie.. new chap asap =)

DeynaIanBloom: I LOVE YOU. Lol, thank you sooo much for putting me as story of the month!! Please, do let me know when you make your site, i'd looove to see it. You can just email me if you want, or write it in a review! You're the best reviewer ever =D


	17. Apologies Accepted

A/N: Sorry for the bad procrastination... i'm getting into a bit of a writers block, im not exactly sure what I want to say and... well, you all know what I mean. ;] anyways, here's my best attempt at a chapter.

**Chapter 17: Apologies Accepted**

"This is so childish," Juliet complained to Anamaria while they both moved around in the riggings. "We haven't spoken in five days. It's immature. He really should have apologized to me by now." Anamaria just shook her head, amazed at the stupidity of those two. She _knew_ Juliet was growing tired of not speaking to Jack. Jack was tired of this too. They had been avoiding each other for five days, giving each party plenty of time to contemplate what the other had said. Juliet slept on the floor in the corner of the captain's room, as far away as possible from Jack, who would slam the door open every night when he had handed off the wheel, purposely waking Juliet up. In the mornings, Juliet would make sure she was up earlier than Jack, and start singing incredibly loudly as she waltzed past his bed towards the bathroom. Occasionally, if he didn't wake up, she'd bend right over to his ear and scream, enjoying the panicked expression that spread across his face as he sprung up. They both were tired of this behavior, however, neither wanted to be the one who apologized first. Later in the afternoon, Anamaria stood by Jack at the wheel, hoping to knock a little sense into him.

"This is not good. Not good! We haven't spoken in five days. I can't concentrate, and I'm not even enjoying the rum. Something must be done about this, Ana, she should have apologized to me by now." Jack turned to look at Anamaria, who was standing beside him at the wheel. Again, she shook her head, but this time she felt the need to speak up.

"Jack, yer _both_ being childish and silly. Earlier, Juliet said just about the exact thing that ye did now, except she wants _you _to apologize to _her_. You've obviously both thought about what the other has said, you've given each other long enough. Nothing is going to get done if one of ye doesn't apologize very soon, we aren't far from that island now! We only have a few more days, and it's my understanding that there is some serious planning that needs to take place before then. If you two aren't speaking, that can't happen, and it puts Jacquelyn in grave danger. Jack," Anamaria hissed. "Go apologize to 'er. NOW. She's over there."

Anamaria waved her hand toward the front of the ship and shoved Jack away from the wheel. He gave her a pleading look, but she shook her head and planted her hands on the wheel. "Now." Jack sighed, defeated, and start to saunter over to Juliet.

She was standing near the front of the ship, leaning over the rail and staring into the troubled waters of the ocean. She couldn't see very far down, but her gaze pierced the cloudy surface and let her see the movement beneath the water. It kind of reminded her of the way Jack would look at her sometimes. He would stare into her deep blue eyes and right into her troubled heart, but never all the way in, just as Juliet couldn't see all the way to the bottom of the sea. That was what she loved about him. But, no-- that couldn't be right. She didn't love him anymore! She hadn't loved him in seven years... No, no, she definitely could not love him. She was very angry with him, how could you be in love when you were that angry? And he certainly didn't love her. Not a chance...

Suddenly, Jack's reflection appeared in the water besides Juliet's. It took her a second to notice, but when she did, it surprised her so much that she yelped and jumped back from the rail, landing on her bottom. Jack couldn't contain his laughter very well, but offered her a hand to get up. She glared at him and got up on her own, then made to walk away from him, but he reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her back to the railing next to him. They both were silent for a moment, then Juliet quietly spoke.

"Did you think about it?"

"I have," said Jack softly. He turned to look at her, but she kept her eyes locked on the waves, not wanting to make eye contact with him yet, for fear of what might happen if they looked at each other too long. Jack was quiet, turning his head back to the waves as well. Juliet sighed and glanced at Jack's reflection, only to find it watching hers. "I'm sorry, Jules." Juliet's head popped up, as she turned to Jack. She must have been mistaken, he couldn't possibly be apologizing to her.

"What did you say?" she murmured a bit skeptically. Jack stared straight into her eyes, just the way she had been thinking about only moments ago. An almost undetectable shiver racked her body as he stepped closer to her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the crashing of the waves against the sides of the ship. Juliet was stunned.

"I... I'm..." she stammered and stumbled over her words. "I'm sorry too, Jack..." She sighed sadly, and continued. "This was all... it was immature and childish and-" Jack was steadily getting closer to Juliet, one of his arms now encircled around her waist, and she was getting nervous. "And I... well, I think we-" Jack was now fully pressed up against her, one hand resting on the small of her back and the other at her side. She knew he was enjoying the effect he had on her, and she sighed defeatedly. "Well, I'm sorry."

Before she could move away, Jack's lips had swooped down upon hers, capturing them and sending another shiver through her entire body. The entire crew stopped what they were doing and began whistling and cheering, obviously glad Jack and Juliet's little spat was over for the moment. Juliet slowly pulled away and leaned her forehead against Jack's, oblivious to the applause and stares that surrounded them, and stared into his eyes longingly. Longing for what, she wasn't sure, but for _something_, anything. Just to feel the same way she used to feel when she was with him, like she was completely safe, and there was no one in the world who could make her happier. Slowly, those feelings did seem to be returning.

"All is forgiven, love," Jack said gently, so only she could hear him. "But there are still things we need to talk about..." He took her hand and led her off to his quarters, earning countless raised eyebrows from the crew.

Once inside, the pair sat down on Jack's bed, happy to get away from the outside world for a bit. Jack tossed the covers over himself and pulled Juliet in next to him, wrapping his arm around her shoulder and leaning back against the head of the bed. He intertwined his fingers in her hair as she curled up against him, kissing him lightly on the cheek. They hadn't been in this position for quite a while, and Jack felt a familiar feeling fill him, though he couldn't put his finger on what it was. That was what he loved about Juliet, the way she could make him feel. But, no!-- that couldn't be right. He didn't love her. He hadn't loved her in seven years! And besides, Jack Sparrow doesn't love. A pirate doesn't need to love. Most certainly not. There was not a chance that he loved her...

..................

"We have two options for our attempt to rescue Jackie," Jack said with a bottle of rum in one hand, and Juliet in the other. It was now almost midnight, and they were still in bed, but they hadn't fallen asleep. "Either way, it's a matter of leverage and waiting for the opportune moment. One, we could go onto the island and find them as soon as we arrive, just the two of us, and offer to give the location of the treasure in exchange for Jackie's safe return. Or, we could attempt a different kind of bargain. What say we come into port there as inconspicuously as possible, we find their location after nightfall, so as not to be seen, and assess the situation a bit. Next night, we take our whole crew with us and ambush 'em, attempt to retrieve Jacquelyn and also keep the treasure for ourselves. And, if that goes wrong, we still have a something to bargain with, because even if Conway knows we have the maps, he's no idea how to use them. What say you to _that_? It works no matter what, love."

Juliet was a bit unsure of this, but didn't feel like starting another argument, so she nodded in agreement. They were both quiet then, probably contemplating how they definitely did _not_ love each other, and soon drifted off into dreams that proved them wrong.

..................

A/N: Yay! Finally finished. Please reviewww =)

**Dawnie-7**: Thanks so much for all your reviews! You just about doubled the number I had. I'd love to hear more about that movie script, sounds good, b/c I like the concept obviously. What a sneaky devil jack is, I agree, but so sweet too. Very cunning, that fellow. And another kiss this chapter! I can't overdo things because my dad likes to read this, but perhaps I can get around that eventually. Wish me luck ;] Hope you enjoyed!


	18. She Loves Me!

A/N: Sorry for the really bad delay. I was away all week and part of the weekend, too. But- alas! here it is. I have lotr playing, so it may influence me and make this a bit angsty, perhaps not. Perhaps i'll describe how gorgeous people are.. mmm.. elijah's eyes... so BLUE. Merry.. so high. Pippin.. so adorable!! Aragorn... so HOT. Am I alone in my opinion that aragorn is much hotter than legolas? I mean, yes, legolas is very pretty, but Aragorn is sexyyyy. I also think eowyn and aragorn are a better match than him and arwen. Eowyn is cooler. Ok, im incredibly off-topic, this is a potc fic. Well, JACK IS THE HOTTEST ;] all's settled.

**Chapter 18: She Loves Me!**

Juliet awoke first the next morning, and found herself curled up next to Jack, her head resting on his uncovered left shoulder. Wait... uncovered? She pried back the covers to reveal Jack's shirtless form. His chest rose and fell rhythmically, and Juliet couldn't help but smile at how peaceful he looked. His left arm was draped around her shoulder; his right stretched across his stomach and was wrapped around her waist, holding her close to him and rather snugly. Being with Jack, Juliet felt content. She felt safe, like he was protecting her, even though there was nothing to fear aboard the Black Pearl. In fact, she felt quite like she used to, back when she was in love with him. Not that she was in love with him now...

Juliet decided that she should make a break for it before Jack woke up, to avoid his inevitable tasteless comments. No doubt he would find her eventually and make them then, but why not put that moment off? She propped herself up with her elbows, but as she made to roll to the side of the bed, Jack's grip tightened significantly around her waist, pulling her closer to him again. Juliet sighed loudly and flopped back down next to Jack, turning over to face him. He was obviously still asleep, and had no idea that he was restraining her. His lips fluttered as he exhaled, nestling his head deeper into his pillow.

"Jack," Juliet whispered, absentmindedly brushing some of his hair away from his face. "What am I going to do with you?"

Jack sighed contentedly in his sleep, shifting a bit and moving his arm to Juliet's lower back. Juliet smiled, and looked over Jack's sleeping form fondly before firmly grasping Jack's forearm and freeing herself from him. She hopped out of the bed before he could reach out and grab her again. Deciding it was high time for a change of clothes, Juliet donned a fresh pair of breeches and a loose-fitting red shirt, and unusual find in those days. Red was not associated with mannerly women, but with so-called Ladies of the Night. Juliet, however, couldn't care less what people thought about her, so she laced up the shirt and headed to the door.

As she stood in the doorway, Juliet once-overed Jack again, grinning as she watched him smiling peacefully in his sleep. She sighed.

"How could I _not_ love you?" she pondered aloud, then realized she had said it aloud, then almost had a panic attack, then realized that Jack was asleep and so it didn't really matter that she had said it because he couldn't hear her anyway! Satisfied with this, Juliet stepped out of Jack's room and onto the deck, in search of Anamaria and Gibbs. She wanted to discuss that plan of Jack's with them...

It turns out that Juliet had made the same mistake that Jack had.

The second she shut the door, Jack's eyes popped open and he sat up abruptly in his bed.

"She loves me..."

"So, I got to thinking that we'd approach from the right side of the island, dock out of sight, and Jack and I would assess the situation, go have a little look-see, eh? Next night, we ambush 'em with the help of some of the crew -enough to match their number- and we do whatever it takes for the safe return of Jacquelyn, including giving the location of that treasure if it comes to it."

Anamaria and Gibbs exchanged worried glances as Juliet relayed her plan. It was very good, albeit it was actually _Jack's_ plan, and _he_ wasn't so keen on giving up the treasure. But, if Juliet was relaying it, it was only fair that she could change it to be a bit more to her liking, just as you would in the game of telephone.

Moments later, Jack strutted out onto the deck, now fully clothed, and headed towards the helm. He looked out to the horizon with his small telescope, then closed it and smiled as he motioned for Juliet to join him at the wheel. She sauntered up to the helm happily, eager to hear any news Jack had to offer.

"'Ello, love!" Jack said as he grinned at her. She stood next to him at the wheel and he offered her his telescope. "Take a look, Jules. On the horizon..."

Juliet snapped open the telescope and peered through the lens, gasping audibly as her gaze settled on the distant horizon.

"The island... It's there! It's there, Jack!" She was shouting now, practically jumping up and down with excitement, and obviously drawing attention to herself from the crew. Jack laughed nervously and gently but firmly clasped his hand over her mouth, nodding at the crew to let them know everything was alright and that they should stop staring.

"Jack!" she whispered, her eyes dancing with newfound hope. "We're almost there. We're so close to getting our daughter back..." Juliet's voice drifted off as she considered this, and she looked up to Jack, hoping for him to have the same feeling as she did. He smiled down at her, then looked back to the sea, eyes drifting along the horizon.

A/N: Horrible point to stop, I know. I just wanted to get _something_ posted tonight. I didn't have time to edit as thoroughly as usual, so if there are any mistakes I'll come back and fix them, no worries! So this is it. It's taken me soooo long to get up to this point, way too long if you ask me. Maybe its too drawn out, I dunno, but now im here! Next few chapters should involve the action part of the story!! =) anticipation!

**Deynaianbloom**: of course it's romantic! It's _jack_ ;-) thanks so much for keeping up with the story!!! 3 and I LOVE your site, fantastic job!!!


	19. Nathan

A/N: I've just had an epiphany. I now know the entire rest of the story, the character that will be added in who has an effect on the last act, the ending, up to the epilogue! It just came to me. I'm so happy right now, and it's perfect. Not to worry, however, I'm sure it will take me a few more chapters to get to the end. But I promise you guys will like it. Eeeeeeek i'm SO happy =))))))))))))). This is going to be the ACTION! Chapter. Lovely!

**Chapter 19: Nathan **

The mood on the Black Pearl that afternoon was anxious and excited. Looking at the faces of the crew, the captain, and Juliet, you could practically feel the nervous energy floating in the air. Juliet was hyped up and energized, Jack was quiet and aloof at the helm, and the crew wandered about the deck trying to occupy themselves. Night was looming on the horizon, along with the island that was their destination. Jack was fully immersed in steering, completely concentrated on keeping the ship on the exact path he had plotted. He was guiding them to the left end of the island, near the camps that were hidden in the forest on that side.

The island was lengthy and rather narrow, about three miles long and a mile across. On each end, there was a large, thick cluster of trees, one side housing the camp of Conway and his crew. The other side was quiet, and, as Jack had predicted, the side Conway thought they would dock at. Conway and the majority of his crew crouched beneath some bushes on the outskirts of that forest, watching the horizon for the Pearl. He had left five crew members behind, watching the tent that Jacquelyn was in.

About an hour later, the Pearl, still unseen, had reached the left side of the island and silently docked. The crew was assembled in the middle of the deck, Jack and Juliet tightly encircled by them. Together, they relayed the plan, and then took most of the crew ashore with them. They were to approach the camp _silently_. They would conduct a surprise attack to wipe out whatever crew members had been left there, and then they would attempt to obtain Jackie without being noticed by Conway. It would be a lovely surprise for him when he got back.

Jack and Juliet led their crew through the thick forest towards the sound of voices and the cackling of a campfire. Poking his head through a bush, Jack found exactly what he was looking for-- five burly men sat around a campfire in front of a small tent, guzzling bottles of rum. They were fairly drunk, which would certainly make their plan easier. However, seeing them incredibly intoxicated worried him. He worried about the way Jacquelyn was being treated there, and vowed that if there was even a scratch anywhere on her body, not one soul on that island would survive.

Jack pulled his head back through the bush, and turned to Juliet and the crew.

"Alright, all we have to decide is how we sneak up on 'em. I think the best way would be to lure them to us, and take them out while they're off-guard and unaware, as soon as they reach the edge of the trees. Then, we go retrieve Jacquelyn, plant this lovely little device..." He tapped a small unlit explosive that was hanging in his jacket pocket. "And then we make a run for it back to the Pearl, because trust me, mates, we won't want to be here when it goes off. Savvy?" The crew nodded and Juliet smiled. "Now, what's our bait going to be?"

Jack scanned the faces of the crew, then noticed Juliet's grin. "I've got it covered," she stated matter-of-factly. "They'll be right over, stay quiet, be ready..." Juliet stood up and walked towards the bush that Jack had poked his head through; it was right at the edge of the forest but still covered in the shadows of the trees. She ran her hand through her hair and flipped it around, then turned and gave a thumbs-up to Jack and the waiting crew.

"Hello?" she cooed extra-femininely, as she walked back and forth by the bush. "Excuse me, gentlemen? I'm ever so lost... Do you think you could offer me a tent for the night?"

The drunken men at the campfire looked up and spotted her form near the bush. They all grinned lopsidedly, staring at her and laughing with each other. Juliet was happy that her expression of contempt and disgust was blurred by the darkness.

"'Ello, little missy!" One of the men called to her as he stood up and motioned for the rest of them to do the same. "'Course we can offer you a place to sleep, provided that it's with one of us!" They laughed drunkenly and stood around the campfire, staring at her.

"But of course!" she replied flirtatiously. "You're ever so attractive, gentlemen! But... do you think you could come and retrieve me? I can hardly see where I'm stepping and I don't want to get myself hurt..." She giggled girlishly as the men immediately strode towards her. Incredibly discreetly, she backed up at the same pace they were moving, until she was standing next to Jack. It was pitch black where they were waiting, but she could tell it was him, because- well, just because she could.

"You ready?" she whispered in his ear.

"Always." Jack's gold teeth shimmered in the darkness as he smiled.

"Oh, boys, I'm right over here, there you are, I can see you now! Oh just a bit closer, you're almost here!" The men were only about five yards away from her now, and they still couldn't see her.

"Where are ya, pet?"

At that moment, she unsheathed her cutlass and stepped forward.

"Oh, I'm right here sweetheart." With that, she thrust her cutlass forward, straight through the leading man's stomach. With a quiet moan, he fell to the ground, and Jack, along with the rest of the crew, attacked the other four men, quickly producing the same results, and leaving a clear path to the small tent by the campfire.

Inside the tent, Jacquelyn sat in a dark corner as she had been instructed, though she was having a very hard time keeping still. She had her eyes fixated on a spider on the top of the tent, tracking it's every move. Near the flap of the tent sat a fairly young boy, no more than about fourteen years old. He had heard some muffled yells outside, so he stealthily opened it, just enough for a peek outside. Seeing a lantern flicker in the woods just beyond the tent, a mix of emotions raced through him. It could be his father-- that loathsome, foul man, returning with his newfound captives, Jacquelyn's parents and their crew. Or, he hoped, it could be someone else, who, he wasn't sure, but someone besides those indignant fools that had been left to "keep watch."

"Nathan," Jacquelyn whispered from the corner. "When are you going to start counting?" She giggled as she saw the amused look that spread across his face. Thankfully, she didn't catch the fact that this look was mixed with fear. He wasn't sure what to expect, and he certainly didn't want her to get hurt by whoever was on their way to the camp.

"We're gonna play a new game Jackie. You have to see who can stay quiet the longest, no matter what happens, you can't make a noise. Okay?" He gave her a pleading look, hoping she would want to "play." Jacquelyn nodded excitedly at the prospect of a more challenging game and covered her mouth with her hands and closed her eyes. Just as Nathan turned back to the flap, a head popped in! Juliet's head to be exact. Instinctively, because he didn't recognize the woman, Nathan lashed out grabbed her by the shoulders, throwing her to the floor of the tent. He silently leaned down and pulled her hands behind her back before she had time to react. She groaned a little and lifted her head to look around, but was met with Nathan growling venomously in her ear.

"Who are you?" he snapped loudly. As soon as he raised his voice, he regretted it, because not only did a fierce-looking man step inside the tent, but Jacquelyn also opened her eyes and shouted, "You lost, Nathan!" That changed everything. The man quickly stepped beside Nathan, restraining him far too easily for his own liking, and the woman on the floor sprang up and stared gleefully at Jacquelyn.

"Don't touch her!" Nathan warned, glaring at the man and woman in the tent. Suddenly, a resounding squeal of "Mommy!!!" filled the tent as Jacquelyn jumped on the woman, wrapping her arms around her neck. Tears of joy ran down the woman's cheeks as she turned to Nathan, still clutching Jacquelyn in her arms.

"Don't worry, my name is Juliet. I'm Jacquelyn's mother, as you can now probably tell. Jack, release him," Juliet said pointedly to the man behind Nathan. He shot Nathan a distrustful glance, but released his grip nonetheless. Juliet then continued, "Who are you, boy, and what is your involvement with the capture of my daughter?"

"My name is Nathan Conway," he began a bit shakily, but kept his composure, though they were both staring daggers at him as soon as he stated his name. "I wasn't involved in her capture in the slightest, miss, I've only been put in her charge by my father. I've kept her safe and away from my father and his malicious crew over her time in this camp and on our ship. I've done nothing to harm her in any way, I assure you."

A smile spread across Juliet's lips as she considered this, and she set Jacquelyn back down. The boy was very well-spoken for his age. Jack decided to take the initiative and get everyone moving, because it would not be long before Conway and his men would respond to all the noise.

"Well, this is all lovely, but we'd best get ourselves going. You're coming with, boy, whether you like it or not," Jack said to Nathan, who now had a look somewhere between anger for being ordered around and excitement over leaving. "I can't leave ye here to tell your da' where we've gone off to. Poor bastard has no idea what's waiting for him. Let's get us moving, aye?"

Juliet nodded her head twice, Jacquelyn nodded emphatically, making herself look like a complete maniac, and Nathan gave a curt nod. The boy was much more agreeable to leaving than Jack had expected when he saw him. He might actually be rather useful on board, Jack thought.

Juliet led the way out of the tent, greeting the men that waited outside the tent with a grin, and advised them to keep quiet and move swiftly. Nathan stepped out next, following in Jacquelyn and Juliet's direction. Jack was last. He left a small piece of parchment on the desk inside the tent, and then pulled put his pistol, racing towards the rest of his party. On the way, he dropped the small explosive into their burned out campfire, smiling at his own brilliance. He announced himself as he caught up with them, striding behind Nathan. Nathan noticed how close Jack was to him, and began walking faster. Jack did too. Nathan spun around, only to find himself looking into the barrel of a loaded pistol.

"Just for precaution, son. I can't have ye running away, now can I? Just know it's here, don't try anything." Jack looked at him sternly, clearly stating his authoritative position with only the look in his eyes. Nathan nodded and began to turn back to the front, then turned around to face Jack again.

"Why are you taking me with you? You could have shot me in the tent so you wouldn't have to take the chance," Nathan challenged, curious about the answer he would receive.

"Are you advising me that was a mistake?" Jack inquired, cocking his pistol and aiming it at Nathan's forehead. "Son... I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. Savvy?" Nathan quickly nodded his head and turned fully around, falling back into line behind Juliet. He couldn't help but grin as he pondered his destination.

_I'm sailing under Captain Jack Sparrow._

.....................................

A/N: I wanna sail under Captain Sparrow. Multiple meanings could be derived from that. Take your pick. I love Nathan, what do you guys think? More will be explained about him in the next chapter, such as why he hates his father, etc. You'll love my plans for him too. And my plans for Conway. And for Jack and Jules. Heh, I like my plans for everything. I'm very sad to say that I'm nearing the end of this story. Probably no more than four or five more chapters, but you never can tell, eh? But what a lovely end it'll be.Thanks so much for reviewing!

**Deynaianbloom:** don't we all? Yes, I think you'll like the ending verrrry much, it seems like it should fit to me... I like blue too. And red sometimes. But, as anyone who writes potc fics should, I love jack best of all. =)

**Dawnie7:** "Courage is found in unlikely places." But no courage required on my part, lol. It's actually good, because my dad's an editor, so he catches pretty much all my mistakes. Thanks so much for telling me about that script, it sounds awesome! It sure seems their plan has worked, no? You now have permission to uncross your fingers. =) they must be a little stiff after having them crossed for a week... hehe.


	20. Common Experiences

A/N: Crap. School has begun. So, as feared, updates may become a bit less frequent. But, two chapters posted in as many weeks should help, aye? I was thinking that it might seem like Jack had a surprising lack of emotion upon seeing his daughter for the first time. BUT, I did it on purpose.

**QUICK CHARACTER STUDY TO SHOW YOU WHY ):** Jack doesn't like to display his emotions for everyone to see, you can tell it makes him uncomfortable. Sure, one-on-one he can comfort people and let them do the same for him, but he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. For example, when he regains the Pearl at the end of the movie, everyone is standing around smiling, and he starts looking around and sends them to work, basically. So, naturally, he would wait until he was in private with Juliet and Jacquelyn to explain to Jacquelyn who he was, etc. So I hope that makes sense. On with the chapter. )

**Chapter 20: Common Experiences**

Jack brought up the rear of the group, his pistol still behind Nathan, though he was starting to understand that he wasn't going to need to use it. Nathan seemed very eager to get away from his father, and Jack intended to find out why. Or, on second thought, he could have Juliet find out for him. Either would do.

They were quickly reaching the edge of the forest, and beams of moonlight shot through the trees. The crew was leading the way, followed by Juliet, who had a tight grip on Jacquelyn, then Nathan, who hurried along uncomfortably, and lastly, Jack, who strided along leisurely behind everyone.

Moments later, they came out of the forest and stumbled onto the sand. The Black Pearl sat waiting for them, docked just offshore. Two rowboats were sitting at the edge of the water. Jack split the group into two sections, with himself, Nathan, Juliet, and Jacquelyn, who had fallen asleep in her mother's arms before she could question the strange man who accompanied them. They headed towards the ship in the first boat, with the rest of the crew clambering into the second.

By the time they reached the Pearl and climbed aboard, it was about midnight. Juliet was exhausted, Jacquelyn was completely knocked out, and Nathan was stumbling and loosing his footing a bit. Jack remained quite awake, but decided to accomodate to the rest of his companions.

"Jules," Jack said softly, tuning towards her and gently running his fingers through Jacquelyn's hair. "Why don't you take her into my room, I'll be in in a few minutes." He smiled lovingly at the sleeping child, and Juliet mused over the fact that she had never seen him look that way at _anyone_ before, not even her. She grinned and turned on her heel, heading towards the door to his cabin. Then she turned back again, coming up behind Jack.

"Um, Jack?" Juliet called. He turned around quickly, and raised his eyebrows, wondering what she wanted. She gestured for him to come closer, and he stepped up right in front of her. She leaned to his ear and whispered, "What about Nathan?"

When she brought her face back in front of Jack, he saw a look on her face that seemed to be battling between distrust and pity, and pity seemed to be winning. Jack wondered what Juliet knew that he didn't, because he didn't really think they had much reason to pity Nathan. However, standing on the middle of the deck with the majority of the crew around was definitely not the opportune moment to ask.

"No worries, love," Jack spoke quietly as he placed a hand on her arm reassuringly. "I'll get him set." Juliet still looked worried, and Jack realized she wouldn't leave the deck until she saw that Nathan was safe for the night.

"Nathan, over here," Jack yelled over the noise of the crew as he waved Nathan over to them. Nathan hadn't said a word since boarding the Pearl, and he seemed to be wandering around in an awe-induced trance. He seemed to come back to the real world, however, as he walked over to Jack and Juliet. "I suppose you want a place to sleep, eh? There's an empty room down toward the bow on the starboard side, you'll find it. Now don't go jumpin' over the edge of the ship in the middle of the night, savvy? Just stay there unless ye need something. If ye do, go to Gibbs, he'll be at the wheel. Do we have an accord?" Jack asked, offering his hand to Nathan. Nathan took it firmly in his own, "Agreed."

"Agreed! Off you go, then!" Jack said merrily as he pointed Nathan towards the empty room. "Satisfied?" he asked jokingly as he turned back to Juliet, only to find her already opening the door to his room. "Guess so..."

After getting the crew set for the night, Jack headed back to his room, opening the door quietly and stepping lightly inside, so as not to wake Jacquelyn. Juliet had layed her down on the bed while she set up a bed and blankets for her on the floor.

"'Ello, love," said Jack quietly as he shut the door behind him.

Juliet looked up and smiled, "Hi, Jack." She finished setting up the small bed for Jacquelyn, and she got up to move her to it. Juliet gently slipped her arms under Jacquelyn's shoulders and knees, and carefully set her down, covering her protectively with blankets. She looked up only to find Jack gazing intently at Jacquelyn's peaceful face.

"See a resemblance?" Juliet whispered. Jack nodded, seemingly at a loss for words. "Just wait until the morning! Then you'll really be able to see her. She's so much like you, Jack, she even has your eyes." Juliet looked up; glancing at the eyes she was speaking of. "It's funny, Jack. Even all those years without you, I felt like I always had a part of you with me, through Jacquelyn. When I looked into her eyes, I could see a part of you looking back at me..." A solitary tear rolled down her cheek as she reached out and stroked Jacquelyn's hair. "I've missed you so much, Jack..."

Very quickly, Jack's hands found hers as he led her to his bed. They climbed in, just relaxing underneath the covers. Jack put his arm around Juliet, and leaned back sighing, seeing that she was obviously overwhelmed with having her daughter back in her care, and having him around at the same time. Jack tipped her face towards his, staring intently into her eyes, and wiping her tears away.

"I missed you, too, love," Jack whispered, barely audibly. He slowly closed the space that was left between them, kissing her softly at first, then they both seemed to completely let out their pent up feelings for each other, leaving no empty space between them. When he broke the kiss, he found Juliet's eyes still closed, as though she was savoring every moment of it. She finally opened her eyes and smiled, giving Jack a chance to ask the question he desperately needed an answer to.

"Jules, I have to ask, why are you so concerned about Nathan? The lad's not done much to help ye..." Juliet smiled warily to herself then looked back to Jack.

"Let's just say we have some experiences in common, Jack," she said mournfully. "We'll talk about it in the morning, okay? I'm exhausted." With that she closed her eyes, and laid her head on his shoulder, deciding for him that this was okay. Jack soon followed suit, resting his head on hers, and falling into dreams about the woman dreaming next to him.

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A/N: This chapter really isn't very good. And it's uber short. And it doesn't really have a point. Next chapter should get more fun in. My deepest apologies, mates. For my two lovely reviewers, i'll send you guys Jack's bathing suit calendars. hehh. Anyway, I've got just about no time to write during the week, and my weekends are busy. But don't worry, the story WILL get done. I _refuse_ to go more than two weeks without updating, unless I have more work than usual. I bid you adieu! Please review if you read!

**Dawnie-7:** Don't we all? You'll like Nathan even more soon, really sorry I haven't been clear yet. Maybe you can guess, I'm not sure... But I know what I'm doing, not to worry ;). And I'm really glad you liked my other one! It'll take me forever to update, but its okay. Hope your fingers have regained their flexibility, lol.

**Deyna Ian Bloom:** Yay! More stories! What bad words? Lol. And I choose to not comment on that question of marriage. You'll have to wait and see. ;) An incentive to keep reading, lol.


	21. Exploding Notes

**Chapter 21: Exploding Notes**

Conway and his crew stomped back to their camp, wary and annoyed from another long evening in the woods, watching for the Black Pearl, to no avail. They emerged from the woods into the sandy circle of the campground, with tents encircling a large pile of wood and branches.

"Get a fire going," Conway growled at the crew as he made his way over to the tent where he was keeping Jacquelyn, and his son, Nathan. Not that he liked to think of him as a son - definitely not - he couldn't stand the boy. He was a malicious know-it-all who thought he was better than his father because he wanted to be in the King's Navy. As if he would ever have a chance, coming from the background he did, as he was often reminded by his father. And if those reminders weren't enough to control him, Conway reminded him again, more forcefully. Generally, that force came from his fists.

As he neared the tent, he saw a single candle glowing through the opening and assumed Jacquelyn had gone to sleep, with Nathan was most like sitting around in the tent, doing some reading, or whatever he did with those rubbish books he insisted on carrying with him all the time.

The crew members were getting ready to light the bonfire, and Conway pulled the flap of the tent open. His mouth dropped when he entered however, because what he found was nothing near what he expected. The tent was empty, with no trace of Jacquelyn or Nathan to be seen. There was, however, a small piece of parchment sitting on the desk, being held down by a rock. Conway snatched it up as he heard the sound of the fire beginning outside. The handwriting was a messy script, but immediately identifiable.

_Good day to you my dear man! You'll be seeing that Jacquelyn is gone, I suppose, and that you've entirely missed your chance for the treasure. Funny old world, isn't it? I'll bet your crew is outside lighting your camp fire as we speak, well, as you read this. _Conway looked up from the note, and indeed they were. _And, I'd like to say farewell to you, because I've left you a small present in your firewood pile. Three guesses, mate? One, it'll be exploding in about five seconds. Ta!_

Conway dropped the paper and raced out of the tent, collapsing on the ground at the site of the roaring fire. He heard a small pop, then a deafening explosion followed by a blinding flash of light, and everything went black.

.............................

Nathan walked along the far end of the starboard side of the Black Pearl, ignoring Jack's request for him to stay inside his cabin. On the horizon, though it was almost pitch black on deck, Nathan was fairly sure he could see the island they had been on, the one he had refused to call home while his father kept him there. He could make out a faint glimmer of light, most likely from the massive bonfire the crew lit every night. Nathan knew coming aboard the Black Pearl could be dangerous, especially if his father pursued them as he expected, but he thought it could be worth the risk to be a part of this famous crew, and just to get away from his father, if not permanently, then at least temporarily.

As he gazed into the ocean, losing himself in the monotonous crash of the waves against the ship, a bright flash on the horizon accompanied by an echoing boom caught his attention. A massive fiery explosion erupted into the air on the island, obviously a blast large enough to kill anyone there. Then it hit him- his father was on that island... Not to say he didn't despise the man, but did he want him dead? He couldn't want his own father dead. Could he? Nathan pushed the thought from his mind, and let primal anger replace it and rise to the surface as he stormed to the cabin of the man he knew to be responsible.

He raced to the center of the deck, past the wheel and straight to the door of Jack's cabin. He made to slam his fists on the door, but he stopped them when they were about an inch away from the wood, remembering the child that was asleep inside. He lowered his hands in defeat, and trudged past Gibbs, who was at the wheel giving Nathan sideways glances as he passed.

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The next morning, Jack stirred from his sleep to find an empty space beside him. It was unusual for Juliet to wake up before him, so he wondered what could have woken her that didn't wake him. He sat up and swung his legs to the side of the bed, quickly pulling his full set of clothes on, and heading for the door. He only made it about three steps, however, before he was lying flat on his face again. He picked himself up off the floor, and turned to see what he had tripped over, only to be met with eyes identical to his, the eyes of Jacquelyn, looking flustered and rather confused. Then her look changed to determination, and she let out a scream, all the while keeping her eyes focused on Jack's. He yelled back in feigned surprise, raising his eyebrows and opening his mouth very wide. Seeing his face, Jackie stopped screaming and began to giggle madly, while turning a bit pink from the excitement.

"Hi Daddy," she said sweetly as her laughter died down. Jack couldn't put a finger on how he felt when she called him that, but a grin stretched far across his face, and he smiled proudly at her.

"'Ello, love! How are you on this magnificent morning?" He stood and bowed to her comically, offering her his hand and earning another fit of laughter from the little girl. Jacquelyn put her small hand into Jack's large one, and together they trotted out the door onto the deck.

As soon as they walked out, Jack could smell trouble in the air. Literally. A heavy smoke scent flew on the breeze, along with a haze on the horizon that was obviously smoke from a fire. The fire from the explosion on Conway's island to be exact, Jack instantly concluded. Juliet wandered about the deck, looking very uncomfortable and sad; the crew members were all but silent as they went about their chores, trying their hardest to ignore the horizon. Even more than the horizon, though, everyone on the ship was trying not to stare at the boy who stood alone in the middle of the deck, with silent tears running down his cheeks. The boy who stood right in front of the Captain, unflinching in his stance.

Jack cleared his throat uncomfortably, and told Jacquelyn to go over to Juliet. He then spun on his heel and headed to the wheel, hoping to avoid a confrontation with Nathan. However, Nathan immediately followed Jack and hit his shoulder. "You killed my father!" Nathan yelled as he raised his hand, smashing his fist into Jack's face as soon as he turned around. Jack recoiled from the shock, his hand immediately pressed to his cheek and eye. Anger flared in Jack's eyes, and Nathan took a deep breath, readying himself for the blow he was sure he'd receive in return. However, he felt nothing, only the rough press of Jack's hand onto his shoulder. He moved his face very close to Nathan's and wielded an unyielding glare, easily backing Nathan into submission. Nathan pulled back from Jack, looking unsure. Jack however, kept his position, and looked Nathan square in the eye.

"You father was dead the second he touched my daughter," Jack said menacingly. Then he turned away from Nathan, and retook his rightful place at the wheel.

.....................................

That afternoon, Jack stood with his daughter at the wheel, carefully instructing her about the virtues of steering a ship. And she was loving every minute of it. Juliet watched them from the side, smiling as she realized what a wonderful father Jack would be to Jacquelyn. She then realized, though, that she desperately needed to talk to him about Nathan. She slowly approached Jack, lightly tapping his shoulder. He turned around with a wide smile on his face as he guided Jacquelyn's hands on the wheel.

Juliet smiled and leaned into his neck. "I need to talk to you," she whispered in his ear. Jack followed her to the side of the ship, telling Jacquelyn to keep the wheel in the same position until he got back. He was only going to be about twenty feet away, after all.

"I'm havin' a thought here, love, I think Jacquelyn's really a natural, so-"

"Jack..." Juliet said softly, looking down at the ocean.

"What's wrong, Jules?" he asked genuinely as he wrapped his arm around her waist and tilted her face towards him. She sighed and paused for a moment, then took his hand off her face and into her own.

"Remember how I told you Nathan and I had something in common?" Jack nodded slowly, looking a bit apprehensive. Juliet nodded also and continued, "Well, I thought you should really know. You've seen all the scars on my back, and my arms..." She choked up a bit and looked into Jack's eyes. Jack became angry just thinking about it, and whispered harshly, "If he did that to you, I'll kill him."

Juliet shook her head slowly, and wrapped her arms around Jack's waist. Jack looked like a lost puppy, completely confused about what was going on around him. "Jack, I... I accidentally caught a glimpse of him changing his clothes last night, and I turned away, but I couldn't help but turn back, something on him caught my eye. He... Jack, he has scars and bruises all over, cuts up and down his back, his arms... everything." A tear rolled down Juliet's cheek and Jack quickly wiped it away, resting his hand on her shoulder. She sighed. "I just think we got them from the same person, that's all. So, don't be too hard on him Jack, he's had a rough time, and I'm sure he doesn't know how to feel about his father dying." Jack nodded and sighed, and Juliet quickly kissed him on the cheek, then ran off in Jacquelyn's direction.

Jack rubbed his bruised eye absentmindedly, then sighed and headed back to the wheel. Nathan would certainly be an interesting addition to the crew.

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**A/N**: Sorry about my awful lack of updating! I've been so busy with school and friends and homework, you all know the deal. ; hopefully you enjoyed this chapter, though. I like the end.. it wont be much longer until the end, 2-4 more chapters is my guess. Thanks for reading, please review!

**Dawnie-7**: No more subtleties or hints, it's all out in the open now, lol. Some bonding between Jack and Jacquelyn in this one. Is he not the sweetest father? He is. Hope you enjoyed, sorry my updating speed is crap.

**Deyna**: Yes, of course you can keep me lol! I'm honored ; And thanks very much for the gold star, I put it on a pretty bracelet. Lol. Thanks so much!

**Bri**: Hey, thanks for reading. Yes, I'm already aware of that mistake, I corrected it in an author's note later on, so if you kept reading, you'd find it, I just havent gotten around to fixing it in the actual chapter yet. Hope you're enjoying if you're still reading.


	22. The Way They Told It

**Chapter 22: The Way They Told It**

Three days later, as the afternoon came to an end and the sun met the glistening ocean in a sweep of red and yellow light, Jack stood behind his beautiful daughter at the helm of the Black Pearl, his hands placed just above hers on the grips of the wheel, guiding at the same time two of his most treasured possessions, though they were neither silver nor gold.

Jack was successfully ignoring the activities of his other most treasured prize at the moment, seeing as all she was doing was flitting about the teenager who was hanging his head over the side of the ship, coughing a bit as he quite effectively rid himself of the day's food.

Jacquelyn seemed to have natural sea-legs, never once losing her footing against the sway and bounce of the ship, and keeping her meals down very nicely. Nathan, however, had been stumbling around the deck all day, bumping into crewmembers and becoming generally disoriented and dizzy-looking. Juliet sat him down in the middle of the ship after he backed away from the railing, then made her way to the helm to speak to Jack and their daughter.

As Juliet came upon the pair, Jack looked up and grinned. "A natural, just like I told you, eh?"

"She certainly is!" Juliet exclaimed cheerfully as she looked Jacquelyn's hold on the wheel over appraisingly. "Jackie, do you think you could keep Nathan company for a few minutes? He's not feeling very well." Jacquelyn grinned and nodded emphatically as she raced towards Nathan, causing him to completely collapse onto the deck from the combination of the force of her impact and his dizziness, but he was grinning nonetheless as the young girl embraced him playfully.

Jack chuckled as he watched Nathan slip out of his sickness as Jacquelyn raced around him, laughing and jabbering and trying to tackle him.

"I'm beginning to think the li'l lass can cure anything in anyone, Jules! No more going into ports for doctors if she keeps this up..." Jack trailed off wistfully as he caught Juliet's gaze. It was a look he hadn't seen on her in quite some time. She seemed to embody happiness at that moment, a small smile set on her lips. It was as if she was glowing not only from the dark gold hues of the setting sun that played across her face, but she seemed to be shining, with a lightness and aura about her that Jack had not seen in years. As he stared more deeply into her eyes, he finally identified that look.

It was the kind of look that made him take her hand and quietly lead her to his cabin, neither of them returning from said room for the remainder of the evening.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet rested her head on Jack's bare chest as he wrapped an arm around her waist under the covers, pulling her close to him and smiling. She sighed as a welcome feeling of well-being and complete satisfaction rushed through her body. She knew for certain now that Jack saw her as a treasure, a rare thing of beauty and worth that should be cherished and cared for. And she was finally able to stop denying that she loved him, as she had made it perfectly clear over the last few hours that she did.

_Treasure_, Juliet thought again, grinning and cuddling into Jack shoulder. _Wait, treasure... The treasure on the island..._ She turned back over, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling for a moment, deciding how to pose her question.

"Hey Jack?" she whispered coyly. Her voice sounded low and a little raspy, as if she had just woken up, and Jack couldn't help but find it exceedingly attractive. She had his attention immediately.

"Wha', love?"

"Well, I was just wondering about the treasure on the island... Do you think it was blown up in the explosion as well? Or will we be returning to find it?" She uttered the last sentence a bit too quickly for her own liking; she didn't want her building excitement to be evident.

"The camp was far enough away from the treasure itself that no harm was done, I imagine. But how we partake in that plentiful wealth that is me treasure is partially up to you, love. It is half yours, after all." Jack winked and grinned devilishly at Juliet, causing a slight tingling and rise of heat in her cheeks, though she had seen that expression of his a thousand times.

She lay her head down onto his shoulder again, sighing contentedly and wrapping an arm around his chest.

"I think we should leave it," she mumbled into his neck as she settled into a comfortable position. "For Jacquelyn..." Jack smiled fondly at the woman in his arms, her caring nature seemed to overpower every other urge in her soul.

"At least for now," she whispered, before falling into a serene sleep only achievable in the arms of the person you love.

Jack grinned and leaned his head back into the pillow, leaning his head against the top of hers and closing his eyes. "Aye, for now..."

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And so, the treasure was forgotten, though the thoughts of endless possibilities and unfathomable wealth would linger in both Jack and Juliet's minds for some time still. The notion of claiming it always seemed like a far-off dream, a looming desire waiting for the opportune moment to rear its enchanting head.

Yet, they decided to leave it there, buried safely underneath the sand, for future generations of their family to uncover and put to use. At least, that's the way they told it.

_Fin._

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A/N: I can't believe I'm finally finished with this! But, alas, not entirely! An epilogue will be showing up quite soon, and if you want to know the _real_ end, you'll need to read that, so don't abandon me yet, faithful reviewers! It'll include what happens to everyone, how the maps/scars on J&J's wrists work, etc. That's not to say a sequel is out of the realm of possibility... let me know what you think about the idea of a sequel (and what you think should happen in it.) and any feedback concerning the story, what I could do better, what you like, ETC.. And I just want to thank you guys, SO much, for supporting me and giving me a reason to keep writing this. I love you all thanks so much )

**Dawnie-7**: How can I thank you enough for reading? You came in in the middle, and virtually doubled the number of reviews I had, and you've been fantastically faithful and never missed a chapter! You should totally get a reward for reviewing, you're the best! Thank you so much, you made the story work. ;)

**missjensparrow**: it's great to have you back, sorry the story is basically finished! Im so glad you're enjoying it though, and please do keep reviewing as you go along, I love getting new reviews, for ANY chapter! Lol. Thanks so much.

**Theatrevixen13**: Don't worry about not reviewing before, it's awesome to know that even when I thought there was just about no one reading my story, you were! It's one of the best you've read?! WOW, compliment overload ) ! thank you sooo much.

**Deynaianbloom**: What can I say, you've stuck with me through this ENTIRE story, featured me on your website, I couldn't ask for someone better than you. Without you, I would have stopped writing this a long time ago, you pulled me through a slow period in reviews (lol), and you are a great friend to me and I just couldn't ask for more from a reviewer! Thank you so much )


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